Freedom of speech is not an excuse for bullying like some individuals assume. “The First Amendment of the United States Constitution protects the right to freedom of religion and freedom of expression. Freedom of expression consists of the rights to freedom of speech, press, and assembly. The most basic component of freedom of expression is the right of freedom of speech. The right to freedom of speech allows individuals to express themselves without interference or constraint…” (First Amendment of the United States Constitution), but this does not mean that individuals should go around making hateful comments towards one another.

In the United States, federal anti-bullying laws do not exist, but when the behavior becomes sexual/racial, the federal government considers it harassment. No-tolerance policies exist in schools. Harassment, discrimination, and violations of civil rights exist to stop the acts, but is it enough? Over 11,300,000 results appear when the sentence, “Student commits suicide after bullied at school” comes up. At least two thousand two hundred suicides are related to bullying.

America’s suicide rate is increasing. The rate for suicide has increased 2.4 percent. That is the highest it has been in twenty-five years. Suicide is the third leading cause of death among young people, resulting in about 4,400 deaths per year (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).

Bullying is not freedom of speech. Bullying is often used as a way to combat freedom of speech. Although the First Amendment protects freedom of speech, it does not say that individuals can slander or tyrannize others.

Freedom of speech does not combat bullying. Bullying is a form of harassment, which is not protected by the First Amendment. When bullying affects someone’s emotions, it is not freedom of speech. It is okay to have freedom of speech. In fact, it is great to have freedom of speech, as long as individuals are respectful towards one another.

Individuals who bully need to be stopped. As previously said, federal anti-bullying laws do not exist in the United States, but they need to. Some type of law needs to be permitted against bullying.