Officials taking a cue from the recent publicity on bullying in schools are meeting to discuss the issue.

Officials taking a cue from the recent publicity on bullying in schools are meeting to discuss the issue.

Parents walk up and detail the horror their kids endure at schools.

It's a familiar sight, but this is not South Hadley. It's Westfield.

So far, the bullying there has been basic. It's nothing that drives any students over the edge, but it's still troubling enough. Michele Equale moved from Connecticut for the schools here, only to have her first grader become a target.

"It has confirmed that there is a problem at the lower grade levels," she says.

After the death of 15 year old Phoebe Prince, Westfield is waking up.

"We know it's in here and we decided to face it in public and listen to the parents and the community," says Westfield Schools superintendent Shirley Alvira.

The numbers are staggering. In a yearly survey, amongst Westfield's Middle School students 40 percent admit to being bullied. 32 percent in the high school are being affected by it.

"Unless a child comes out and tells an adult, nobody knows," says Joe Wojcik, a bullying expert.

Experts and parents agree. Bringing up and airing out these subjects is the first step.

"That has to spill over. It spills over to the staff, the administration and teachers, but it has to go another step, because again, this is all about the community," Wojcik says.

"I'll have to see what they do. Today's an introduction to hear what they plan to do, but I'm actually awaiting to see what comes through," Equale says.

Officials say they intend to get behind the legislation currently being drafted on Beacon Hill and make parents aware of the changes that would bring and establish a taskforce to deal with this on a school by school level.