Startling Report On Bullying In Montana

The definition of a bully according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary is:

One who is habitually cruel, insulting, or threatening to others who are weaker, smaller or in some way vulnerable

I think most people can agree that being a bully is not a good thing. According to a recent study about bullying by WalletHub, there are some shocking results here in Montana.

Before we get to Montana's ranking, here are the best public high schools in Montana.

Montana's Ranking On Bullying Report

According to the study, 20% of students 12-18 experience bullying, whether on line, in person or both. Overall Montana ranks as the 21st worst state for bullying in the nation. Which is close to the middle of the study. They weren't able to include Oregon, Washington or Minnesota in this report. What is shocking is where Montana ranks when it comes to anti-bullying laws. Montana ranks as the worst state in the report.

Montana Does Have Anti-Bullying Laws, But Are They Enough?

Montana does have laws and regulations against bullying in the "Bully-Free Montana Act". According to the Montana Victim Legal Assistance Network, any student or employee in school K-12 should be protected from bullying. Montana doesn't have anti-bullying laws in certain categories. This doesn't seem to be enough protection compared to other states.

According to StopBullying.gov, Montana doesn't have laws or regulations for the following categories as of 2021:

• Protected groups
• Prevention education
• Staff training

Montana's Ranking Can Be Changed

Together we as a state can help change our ranking. The Montana Legislature can adopt more laws and regulations to help stop bullying in our state and hold people accountable for their actions.