Free Daily Headlines :

  • COVID-19
  • Vaccine Info
  • Money
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Health
  • Justice
  • More
    • Environment
    • Economic Development
    • Gaming
    • Investigations
    • Social Services
    • TRANSPORTATION
  • Opinion
    • CT Viewpoints
    • CT Artpoints
DONATE
Reflecting Connecticut’s Reality.
    COVID-19
    Vaccine Info
    Money
    Politics
    Education
    Health
    Justice
    More
    Environment
    Economic Development
    Gaming
    Investigations
    Social Services
    TRANSPORTATION
    Opinion
    CT Viewpoints
    CT Artpoints

LET�S GET SOCIAL

Show your love for great stories and out standing journalism

Report: CT high school bullying, alcohol, marijuana use decrease

  • Education
  • by Schae Beaudoin
  • May 24, 2017
  • View as "Clean Read" "Exit Clean Read"

Bullying and alcohol and marijuana use have decreased in Connecticut’s public high schools, says a federal survey on school safety and crime.

The survey is published by the U.S. departments of education and justice.

Almost one in five Connecticut students — 18.6 percent — reported experiencing bullying on school property in 2015. That was down from 2013, when 21.9 percent reported being bullied.

Electronic bullying of Connecticut students also decreased, to 13.9 percent compared to 17.5 percent in 2013. Connecticut implemented a new “cyberbullying” law in 2011 that makes on-line statements subject to academic disciplinary proceedings.

A Trend CT report from last year showed Connecticut’s bullying rate was above the national average, but the recent figures show it has fallen below the national average of 20.2 percent. Factoring in margins of error, the figures are very close, within .04 percentage points.

Nationally, the survey found gay, lesbian and bisexual students were bullied at a higher rate than heterosexual students, both in person (34 vs. 19 percent) and electronically (28 vs. 14 percent).

Bullying was defined as “when one or more students tease, threaten, spread rumors about, hit, shove, or hurt another student over and over again.” Electronic bullying could take place “through e-mail, chat rooms, instant messaging, websites, or texting,” according to the report.

Reports of sexual assaults increase

Additionally, the survey reported that, while reported crime on campuses across the U.S. is dropping in general, reports of sexual assaults have increased substantially over the last several years, reaching 6,700 reports in 2014. Increased reporting isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Advocates and educators have regularly said that victims may have been reluctant to come forward in the past, fearing social backlash from peers or that the university would not take their cases seriously in order to keep sexual assault numbers low.

Alcohol and marijuana use by students decrease

The survey reported alcohol and marijuana use among high school students decreased in Connecticut.

Reported alcohol use among Connecticut students fell to 30.2 percent in 2015, a decrease from 36.7 percent in 2013. Marijuana use decreased similarly, from 26.1 percent in 2013 to 20.4 percent in 2015. Alcohol use now is reported to be at a 10-year low for Connecticut high school students.

One in 15 students threatened or injured in school

In 2015, 6.7 percent of Connecticut high school students reported being threatened or injured in school with a weapon. The survey asked students if they had been threatened or injured “with a weapon such as a gun, knife, or club on school property.”

Firearms incidents remain low

Possession of guns in Connecticut public schools was in line with the national average at 2.8 incidents per 100,000 students, compared with 2.9 incidents per 100,000 students nationally.

There was a dip in Connecticut school-related gun incidents in 2013, with seven reported incidents. The number increased slightly to 15 incidents in 2015.

Figures in the survey for guns on school property were reported by schools.

Sign up for CT Mirror's free daily news summary.

Free to Read. Not Free to Produce.

The Connecticut Mirror is a nonprofit newsroom. 90% of our revenue comes from people like you. If you value our reporting please consider making a donation. You'll enjoy reading CT Mirror even more knowing you helped make it happen.

YES, I'LL DONATE TODAY

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Schae Beaudoin

SEE WHAT READERS SAID

RELATED STORIES
New Haven’s school challenge: How to spend all that federal money
by Thomas Breen | New Haven Independent

How does it spend $136 million in federal pandemic relief without getting hooked on the short-term dough?

J&J vaccine ‘pause’ complicates campus clinics, but the big question remains: Should colleges require vaccinations?
by Adria Watson

The COVID vaccines are authorized for "emergency use," making the legality of mandates murky

Cardona taps a top Lamont staffer to join him at the U.S. Department of Education
by Jacqueline Rabe Thomas

Nick Simmons was director of strategic initiatives in Lamont's office for nearly two years.

Hartford schools re-opening for in-person learning without teachers union buy-in
by Frankie Graziano | Connecticut Public Radio

Teachers favored returning after April break when they will all be vaccinated.

CT tax fairness debate heats up with new pandemic relief on the way
by Keith M. Phaneuf

Connecticut’s tax fairness debate shifted into high gear as state officials eye $2.6 billion in new pandemic relief from Washington.

Support Our Work

Show your love for great stories and outstanding journalism.

$
Select One
  • Monthly
  • Yearly
  • Once
Artpoint painter
CT ViewpointsCT Artpoints
Opinion Playing politics with people’s healthcare is always wrong
by Jody Barr, Jan Hochadel, Jeff Leake, Dave Glidden, Carl Chism and Mike Holmes

For the past decade, towns, school boards and cities throughout the state have been able to provide their employees high-quality healthcare through the Connecticut Partnership […]

Opinion A pandemic lesson for CSCU leaders: affordable, accessible childcare is critical
by Brandy Sellitto

If there can be anything good that has come from the last year and the horrors of living through this pandemic, perhaps it is the renewed focus on the need for affordable and accessible childcare. As a teen mom, I know first-hand the need for access to safe, reliable, and developmentally appropriate childcare at an affordable price.

Opinion Children’s mental health needs continue to soar: The second pandemic lawmakers must address
by Gabriella Izzo

“She was my happy kid,” a parent told me when I cared for her child who was experiencing a mental health crisis. My patient recovered medically within a few days, however, she remained in the hospital for over a week waiting for placement at a psychiatric rehabilitation facility. We must improve our mental health system and you can be a critical part of making that happen.

Opinion H.B. 6620 — A closer reading of a flawed legislative proposal
by Ann M Mulready

The Connecticut Association for Reading Research (CARR) is deeply concerned regarding H.B. 6620, An Act Concerning the Right to Read and Addressing Certain Opportunity Gaps. It is based on a concept that is seriously problematic in that it subordinates comprehension to fluency.

Artwork Grand guidance
by Anne:Gogh

In a world of systemic oppression aimed towards those of darker skintones – representation matters. We are more than our equity elusive environments, more than […]

Artwork Shea
by Anthony Valentine

Shea is a story about race and social inequalities that plague America. It is a narrative that prompts the question, “Do you know what it’s […]

Artwork The Declaration of Human Rights
by Andres Chaparro

Through my artwork I strive to create an example of ideas that reflect my desire to raise social consciousness, and cultural awareness. Jazz music is […]

Artwork ‘A thing of beauty. Destroy it forever’
by Richard DiCarlo | Derby

During times like these it’s often fun to revisit something familiar and approach things with a different slant. I have been taking some Pop culture […]

Twitter Feed
A Twitter List by CTMirror

Engage

  • Reflections Tickets & Sponsorships
  • Events
  • Donate
  • Newsletter Sign-Up
  • Submit to Viewpoints
  • Submit to ArtPoints
  • Economic Indicator Dashboard
  • Speaking Engagements
  • Commenting Guidelines
  • Legal Notices
  • Contact Us

About

  • About CT Mirror
  • Announcements
  • Board
  • Staff
  • Sponsors and Funders
  • Donors
  • Friends of CT Mirror
  • History
  • Financial
  • Policies
  • Strategic Plan

Opportunity

  • Advertising and Sponsorship
  • Speaking Engagements
  • Use of Photography
  • Work for Us

Go Deeper

  • Steady Habits Podcast
  • Economic Indicator Dashboard
  • Five Things

The Connecticut News Project, Inc. 1049 Asylum Avenue, Hartford, CT 06105. Phone: 860-218-6380

© Copyright 2021, The Connecticut News Project. All Rights Reserved. Website by Web Publisher PRO