Beau Biden takes on bullies

State Attorney General Beau Biden returned to Cape Henlopen High School in Lewes March 21 to talk about bullying and crimes against children, this time addressing about 75 community members.

Biden had visited Cape in October and spoken to students. He was asked to return for this month’s evening engagement so parents could attend, said Cheri Will of Beebe Medical Center, which helped organize the seminar, titled “It Takes a Village To Protect a Child.”

Biden said the act of bullying in 2011 is different than when he was young, because of increasing use of the internet and cell phones. While it used to be that a Friday skirmish would be over with by the time students got off their school buses for the weekend, problems now linger — especially when abusive videos, photographs or messages go viral. “When I was growing up, that 'mean thing' that was said would slowly fade away,” Biden said.

Deputy Attorney General Pat Daily Lewis accompanied Biden, speaking on the dangers of the internet and how adult predators may also attempt to take advantage of young bullying victims. Girls who participate in "sexting" provocative photos via their cellphones often find those same photos end up online; the images can later end up on pornographic websites, Lewis said.

Biden said some studies have revealed that youths start bullying because they believe it will make them more popular among their peers. "It's mostly about gaining social acceptance," he said.

Bullying can occur among adults, too, Biden added. "I didn't like bullies in school, in college or in the U.S. Army," he said. "My goal is to shine an uncomfortable light on the bully."

School guidance counselor Terry Sutton said only one case of documented bullying has been reported at Cape since December.

Officials said bullying victims should avoid taking matters into their own hands; instead, they should call the school’s crime line, which is manned by retired state trooper Joe Flynn, at 800-220-5414.

A third and final seminar on bullying will be held in the high school theater at 7 p.m., Tuesday, April 12. Organizers said the final event will be a community resources night when representatives of many support organizations will attend, including Child Advocacy Center, Contact Lifeline, Prevent Child Abuse Delaware and local police officers. For more details, call Sutton at 645-7898.