Abigail Thernstrom, PHD,[a former a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute in New York and the vice-chair of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights and a recipient of the prestigious 2007 Bradley Prize for Outstanding Intellectual Achievement.]is one of the few people who&#039;ve actually cut to the heart of the matter. She believes:

* &quot;Too few schools actually...are truly committed to addressing harassment and bullying.&quot;

* A hostile school environment or one in which the victim knows that he/she can not rely on the protective provisions implied by school policies due to uninterested, impotent, or corrupt administrators/agents of the school...causes to student to feel unsafe. Feeling unsafe at school interferes with the learning process.

*A hostile school environment most certainly limits a students ability to take advantage of educational opportunities (and sometimes also extracurricular activities)

*Children who are bullied/harassed and left largely unprotected in the school environment suffer immeasurable long-term socio-emotional effects. According to experts, targeted Aspergers students in particular, are at far greater risk for low self esteem and lower academic achievement. They are also far more likely to suffer clinical depression, anxiety, and problems with anger management. As a last resort, victims of B/H are more likely to harm themselves or commit suicide as a result of frequent, ignored, or unresolved incidents of bullying or harassment. Most all victims are more likely to to abuse drugs and/or alcohol, to suffer with depression/anxiety, and suffer a variety of stress related physical complaints. 

Bullying cut to the very soul of its victims; it creates a would that never really heals.