No change in bullying problem at schools

HELENA (AP) — A survey of Montana students released Tuesday suggests that distracted driving risks and bullying problems persist, while some other common teen perils are on the decline.

The Montana Office of Public Instruction said that the 2013 survey found some positive results in traditional risk areas. The number of students who reported smoking, drinking or using drugs continues to decline.

For instance, the number of students who reported recently trying alcohol was at 37 percent this year, down from 58 percent in 1999. And the number of high school students who have ever smoked decreased from 61 percent to 41 percent.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention developed the 99 questions on the survey, which is given to students every other year.

But school officials report that more than half of the students reported texting and driving, up a bit from the 2011 survey. And 61 percent reported recently talking on a cellphone while driving, up from 53 percent.

State schools Superintendent Denise Juneau said driver education could focus more on the risks of distracted driving.

Juneau said that bullying remains another problem area, with 26 percent of students reporting being bullied on school property. And 18 percent said they had been bullied online through social media or messaging. Those figures are unchanged from the earlier survey.

The survey for the first time asked students if they had been teased or bullied because someone thought they were gay, and 13 percent said they had.

The Legislature earlier this year rejected bills to make cyberbullying its own offense, and another that would have made threatening or harassing electronic messages a stalking offense. Republican critics argued the problems are better dealt with at the local level.

But Juneau says she thinks there will be a more pronounced effort during the next session to take some action.

In the meantime, she says her office recently put in place more detailed rules for school bullying policies. She said clear and comprehensive policies will help students and parents find resources to help deal with the problem.

"There is certainly more work to be done, but I think schools are moving in the right direction anyway," Juneau said.