Bullying is worse now because a bullied kid can't beat the shit out of the kid doing the bullying.
Well to do kids are a problem because they are arrogant and the parents will threaten to sue anyone who tries to get their spoiled bastards in line.
Look at the dweeb running his mouth on CNN. Kid talks shit and has a face asking for a fist but gets all kinds of protection from big shots. That's the kind of frustration a bullied kid in school goes through 24/7 these days.
Adding the incentive of college for everyone is a factor, too, because a lot of kids are better in a trade oriented education where they can move around while they learn.
Actions count, too, in a trade. Kid knows right away if he fucked up or not. The key to authority is giving out correct information. The trades' teachers are in a situation where the results are instant. Coach's have that advantage as well. Kids know right off if the teacher is full of shit or knows their stuff.
There's really no option for a bullied kid who wants to defend himself or study what he/she may have a aptitude for. They are actually ridiculed more for not being a good student and liking blue collar endeavors.
Only thing that will turn the schools around is loser pays laws or affordable legal insurance that you can buy like accident insurance. We have to get back to the stage where a kid can defend himself. Kids know damn well who the assholes are and can fix that situation real fast if allowed to.
Instead, the frustration of being defenseless and even risked being punished if you do defend yourself builds to a point where medication is probably the only viable recourse.
Yeah, I'm obviously very opinionated on this subject, but that's my take.