State targets bullies

Alarmed by more reports of bullying and verbal abuse, the state is launching a pilot program in Marlborough and two other districts that could become a model for schools statewide.

''The use of biased language or hateful language, we're seeing a definite increase," said Richard W. Cole, a lawyer in the civil rights division of the attorney general's office, which initiated the program.

The attorney general's office fields calls from school administrators, parents, and service agencies about bullying and other harassment.

''You have schools that have been reporting to us that the use of anti-Semitic, antigay and lesbian language is pervasive," said Cole, who has been combating bias in schools for more than a decade.

After years of piecemeal efforts to address the problem, Cole organized the Safe Schools Initiative to establish clearer, more comprehensive policies to address bullying and harassment. Marlborough, West Boylston, and Randolph were selected from more than 20 school districts for the two-year pilot program.

School officials in Marlborough said they hope the program will help students and faculty respond to the rapidly changing makeup of the school. Between 2002 and 2004, school officials in Marlborough reported:

11 percent increase in the number of minority students, including a 25 percent rise in Hispanic students.

61 percent increase in the number of students receiving free or reduced cost lunches.

32 percent increase in the number of students reporting disabilities.

According to the district's application for the grant, 75 incidents of violence or drug-related offenses were reported in the 2004-05 academic year. At the high school that year, eight students were expelled for violence or drugs. A dozen attacks were reported at Intermediate Elementary School, which serves grades 5-7; three incidents at the school involved knives.

Assistant Superintendent James Jolicoeur said he didn't believe that the situation in Marlborough was much different than in other districts with similar demographics.

''There's been enough incidents where we know that it's an issue we want to be ahead of, not behind," Jolicoeur said. ''This particular opportunity gets us out in front."

For the next two years, teachers, lawyers, youth discipline experts, and school administrators will evaluate Marlborough and the two other districts. The process, which has already begun, is intensive, Cole said.

Unlike previous seminars through the attorney general's office, the new program involves officials from a variety of public and nonprofit agencies. Seven lawyers and staffers from the attorney general's office are involved as well as the Middlesex district attorney's office, the New England Anti-Defamation League, the New England Equity Assistance Center at Brown University, and the Neighborhood Partnerships program at Children's Hospital Boston. The schools will also work with their local police departments.

Cole said while the staffing and evaluation is covered by the attorney general's office, he hopes that outside funds can be found to support training once new policies are in place.

Caroline Watts, director of the Neighborhood Partnerships program, said historically white communities are seeing unprecedented levels of immigration and confronting language barriers that make it hard for people to talk.

''Change is always good and bad," she said. ''Bias and prejudice is typically grounded in a lack of familiarity."

In Marlborough, for example, the population shift in the last five years has been so dramatic that schools appear to be even more diverse than the community.

''Kids are often being forced to grapple with things without the support of their parents," said Watts, who will be involved with all three districts.

As part of the program, students and staff will be asked to share their perceptions of the climate in their schools. Experts will interview parents and students, convene focus groups, and collect statistics about the number and type of incidents that occur in each district to look for patterns and trends.

Teachers, administrators, and other staff members will be schooled in the legal distinctions among bullying, harassment, and hate crimes. Incident reporting will become mandatory.

Sue Pikor, principal of the Intermediate Elementary School, drew up Marlborough's application for the program. Pikor noted that her teachers already face the challenge of raising student achievement at the school, which state education officials have deemed ''in need of improvement." But she said they have been overwhelmingly receptive to the new program.

''I'm looking forward to the training . . . on how to do more investigative work and how to work within the policy," she said. ''This should be embedded in what we do daily and how we interact with kids."

The model is one already used by businesses and corporations, Cole said. The ultimate goal will be to create a school environment where everyone feels safe ''standing up and saying something" about a problem. And if there is a problem, there are clear ways to handle it.

''That requires a lot of work," Cole said. ''Ultimately, students have to be part of the solution."

Megan Woolhouse can be reached at 508-820-4236 or woolhouse@globe.com.