Breaking Down Barriers

Another big issue in schools across the United States is bullying. Every day, more than 160,000 children miss school because they fear being bullied and teased.

Chrystal, a junior at Monroe, says she gets picked on because she dresses "goth." Sometimes she feels like she would get more respect if she dressed "preppy."

"If I'm standing in the hallway, people would actually smile and wave at me [if I dressed differently] instead of looking at me weird and calling me a 'freak' and saying rude stuff to me," she says.