Fortunately, Hurricane Lane has come and gone and damage, while considerable, was far less than a direct hit would have caused. Unfortunately, however, another hurricane, that of bullying, has long pummeled our public schools. But unlike Hurricane Lane, which was well-covered by news networks and the Star-Advertiser, bullying has essentially been ignored and even bureaucratically tucked away.

Now, however, we learn that parents of bullied children have filed a lawsuit against the state Department of Education (“Lawsuit filed against DOE,” Star-Advertiser, Sept. 1). The full extent of the damage the students suffered has yet to be revealed. But what is clear is that the warning signs were long ignored. As long ago as 2011, federal investigators warned the DOE to comply with federal policy. And in 2014, more than 20,000 students indicated that “they had been personally bullied or harassed at school.”

In eight years, natural hurricanes come and go. Bullying, however, has been churning for years and the consequences are devastating.

Mark Helbling

Manoa