Drinking, Bullying Up Among CMS Students


by Audrina Bigos
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CHARLOTTE, NC- Suicidal thoughts, drinking and bullying are all on the rise in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.

That's according to a new Youth Risk survey conducted by The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Seven out of 10 high schoolers admitted to drinking alcohol at least once.

-16% of high school students say they drank more than five times in the last month.
-15% of high school students say they attempted suicide
-25% of middle school students said they've considered taking their own life

-14% of high school students admitted being physically hurt by a boyfriend or girlfriend.

Child and family counselor Leslie Petruk says many of those numbers are a result of increasing divorce and domestic violence rates. Petruk also says peer pressure also plays a part.

"If a child is going to school everyday and being ostracized and you're feeling left out, you're going to steer towards the kids that are going to accept you. A lot of times, those are the kids that are drinking and bullying and drugging," said Petruk.

CMS Superintendent Heath Morrision tells me that combating and improving these statistics will take a partnership between CMS and parents.

Especially when it comes to fighting bullying. 62 percent of middle schoolers say they've been bullied. That's up 10 percent from 2007.

"Ask the right questions to make sure the parents are constantly assessing 'are you being bullied in school? Is there anything that would lead us to believe there's a drug or alcohol problem," said Morrison.

Morrison says it's important for parents not to be in denial or point the finger.

"Behind every piece of data is a face. That face may be one of your loved ones or it might be a child you know or it might be your own child. So, never assume that it's just somebody else," said Morrison.

The DCD polls CMS students every two years.



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