Lt. Gov. Sally Pederson said at a conference Thursday that bullying and harassment in school have caused children psychological damage.

A diverse audience of students, educators, non-profit and faith-based organizations and police officers comprised the attendees of the Governor’s Conference on Bullying and Harassment at the Scheman Building.

“The incredible interest in this topic says a lot about how important this subject is,” Pederson said. “Each of us has a responsibility to make sure every student feels safe in school.”

She cited the 2002 Iowa Youth Survey as evidence of problems with violence in schools.

The results of that survey, which are completed every three years, revealed that 17 percent of more than 96,000 students in public and private schools feel unsafe at school.

The same percentage represented the number of students who do not have someone to turn to in a time of need.

“Iowa schools have a national reputation for excellence in education,” Pederson said.

“Iowa is a wonderful place to grow up and go to school, but not for all children.”

Students who are overweight, socially awkward, homosexual or ethnically different are targeted by other students, she said.

“Such intimidation, whether it’s emotional, physical, verbal, psychological, racial or sexual in nature is a form of abuse,” Pederson said.

“The effects can have lasting and far-reaching consequences.”

Nan Stein, senior research scientist for the Center for Research on Women at Wellesley College, was the keynote speaker for the conference.

She discussed the need for rights protection in schools and talked specifically about legislation protecting free speech, equal protection and privacy rights.

Stein used these topics to illustrate how the term “bullying” should be used sparingly in regard to the actions of elementary and high school students.

“I’ll let you in on a little secret,” Stein said.

“I think some school administrators are quick to embrace the anti-bullying label and to abandon the anti-harassment label because they cannot be sued in federal court if the actions of students are framed as ‘bullying.'”