Hate spreads in US schools: article

WASHINGTON - Hostile environments "are on the rise" in the US public school system, said a recent article published on the US News and World Report website.

The article cited a report from the Government Accountability Office, saying that hostile environments, including bullying, cyberbullying, harassment, hate speech, hate crimes, and physical attacks, "are increasing" in public schools.

"Of the 5.2 million students bullied, the report found that 1 in 4 experienced bullying related to their race, national origin, religion, disability, gender or sexual orientation," the article read.

It added the number of physical attacks in schools with and without weapons surged, "with the number of attacks with weapons nearly doubling."

Public health officials in the United States hace voiced their concerns about students' mental health partly due to a surge in bullying and harassment in schools.