YES - Chris Cloke, head of child protection awareness, NSPCC
Involving children and young people in tackling bullying is important in developing a school's anti-bullying policy. But devising sanctions must not become an exercise in revenge. Young people must be given adequate support to understand what they are trying to achieve in setting sanctions. Both the needs of children who have suffered the bullying and the bullies need to be taken into account. Young people should also be encouraged to think about ways to help bullies change their behaviour.
NO - John Quinn, director, Beatbullying
It is the responsibility of teachers, parents and adult figures of authority to lay down the parameters of acceptable behaviour, and determine how best to deal with young people who bully. Although young people should always be consulted and listened to on these issues, it is ultimately the teachers' responsibility to discipline pupils. Furthermore, young people prescribing token punishments for bullies, such as picking up litter, will only serve to humiliate a bully, and could exacerbate a bullying situation.
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