This newly released report shows schools reported 5,460 bullying incidents last school year, a 7% increase from the year before.The IDOE report points out bullying incidents declined during the COVID-19 pandemic but have returned to pre-pandemic rates.Sydney Barlow, a student in central Indiana, told WRTV Investigates she’s a victim of bullying and felt unsafe at school.
The Marion County Commission on Youth has advocated for schools to accurately report bullying incidents to the Indiana Department of Education. Prompted by a WRTV Investigation that found many Indiana schools reported zero incidents of bullying, in 2018, the Governor signed a new law that allows the Indiana Department of Education to audit schools if parents suspect they’re not being truthful about bullying.However, IDOE has not conducted a single audit since the law took effect in 2018.