October is Bullying Prevention Month

And it's a problem that can no longer be ignored:

NEA spokeswoman Becky Pringle says some 160,000 schoolchildren stay home from school each day because of bullying. She says it's important to do more than deal with the bully and his or her target.

That absenteeism, combined with the in-class psychological distraction associated with bullying, means that the victims of bullying often fall behind in their studies. While the sting of bullying might fade with years, the loss of earning potential from a disrupted education will be with them for life. Unless they decide to end their life instead:

•Suicide is the third leading cause of death among young people, resulting in about 4,400 deaths per year, according to the CDC. For every suicide among young people, there are at least 100 suicide attempts. Over 14 percent of high school students have considered suicide, and almost 7 percent have attempted it.

•Bully victims are between 2 to 9 times more likely to consider suicide than non-victims, according to studies by Yale University

•A study in Britain found that at least half of suicides among young people are related to bullying

•10 to 14 year old girls may be at even higher risk for suicide, according to the study above.

For those who think bullying is just one of those things kids are supposed to deal with, you need to have your head (and your heart) examined.