Wisconsin Town Planning to Fine Parents of Bullies

Obviously bullying has become an issue in recent years. Or at least, it’s been getting much more media attention of late. But it remains unclear what the best way to address the issue is. Does the responsibility fall on the schools? Or on the parents of the bully? Or a combination of both? And what if no one is aware that bullying is taking place?

The police in Shawano, Wisconsin, are taking extreme measures to curb bullying, and it’s resulting in mixed feelings from the community. The police department in the town intends to work with schools to identify bullies and contact their parents. The parents then have 90 days to address the issue. If they don’t, they can receive a fine anywhere from $360 to over $600.

Chief Kohl wants to be proactive in working with the community to stop the negative results of bullying, which can include drug use and suicide of the victim.

The biggest issue that this step would address is alerting parents who aren’t even aware that their child is being a bully. Some people in the community think it’s a good idea because parents should be held accountable; others don’t think that fines are the answer.