Physical Education: A growing problem

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - Half of all middle school students say they've been called names, had rumors spread about them, or they've been threatened with physical aggression during the school week.

Some studies show this starts as early as Preschool. These are staggering statistics that show the problem schools across our country face.

NewsChannel 15 uncovered the scope of the problem in some of our local schools, and how it's being handled.

The recess whistle blows, voices and laughter can be heard a mile away.

Kids are on slides and monkey bars, a game of kickball is in action, others are jumping a little rope. It's just another afternoon on the school playground.

Unfortunately for many kids it's a part of the day they dread from the second they wake up.

"Day after day they just have this heaviness when they come home from school, and when it's time to go to school in the morning," said Bill Stanczykiewicz, CEO and President of the Indiana Youth Institute.

According to an Indiana Youth Institute study more than half of kids ages eight to 15 say bullying and violence is a big problem at their school.

"You know there was bullying when we were in school, kids will be kids, it happens, and you know what the bullies want us to think that way," said Stanczykiewicz.

Whether it's physical or psychological, two thirds of kids who are bullied don't even report it because they think the adults don't care.

"The bully perceives an opportunity to exert power over someone who is weaker and they do it when the adults aren't looking," said Stanczykiewicz.

A simple game of kickball can turn ugly in a hurry. The playground is where most of the bullying and violence takes place. NewsChannel 15 Photographer Matt Dice and Reporter Chris Hopper secretly uncovered some of this disturbing behavior.

On one playground, one boy shoves another. That boy retaliates by punching the boy multiple times in the head. Some chalk that up to boys will be boys, but it represents the problem many schools face.

"It's physical, it's hitting, it's pushing, it's fighting, very physical type of activity," said Stanczykiewicz.

NewsChannel 15 obtained the Fort Wayne Community Schools Security Department Incident Report the 2007-2008 school year and the 2008-2009 school year.

FWCS is the only district in Allen County that keeps a report like this.

FWCS High Schools only had three more violence related incidents in the 2008-2009 school year compared to the 2007-2008 school year.  The Middle Schools however saw a 40 percent jump during that time. While the Elementary Schools saw a 73 percent jump.

"There's something missing in kids today that was present in years past," said John Weicker, FWCS Security Director.

National experts have theories but no real concrete explanations for the increase. Some attribute it to the economy and what's happening at home.

"They could be a victim of child abuse or neglect, they could be observing violence, domestic violence in the home," said Stanczykiewicz.

John Weicker has been the Security Director for FWCS for 30 years. Like many national experts he believes the media and video games kids are exposed to play a major role.

"Of course in the video game you can just push a button and start over, people get up, in real life they don't," said Weicker.

Since 2005, Indiana law has required schools to prohibit bullying and violence on and off school grounds. Districts must also have a plan of action to prevent it. FWCS' plan is to build character and target the problem at an early age.

"This is where it begins and if you don't address it there, you know learned behavior, everybody needs their chain yanked, I need mine yanked," said Weicker.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says bullied children have poorer physical and mental health than their peers.

Thursday in part two of our special report you will hear the heart wrenching stories of two mothers whose kids are dealing with this kind of "Physical Education."