( CNN ) -- Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta , better known as Lady Gaga , remembers when she was bullied in high school . She returned from gym class and discovered profanity scrawled across her locker . `` It sticks with you and it hurts . And I went home and cried . I did n't want to go to school , '' she said . Her story is n't unique . On any given day , 160,000 students opt to stay home because they are afraid of being bullied . Today , at the Harvard Graduate School of Education , Lady Gaga is officially launching her Born This Way Foundation , which will inspire bravery and kindness in young people . As one of the best-selling recording artists of all time , Lady Gaga has repeatedly encouraged her fans to `` be someone that nurtures . '' With her new foundation , she is poised to do much more . Bullying is pervasive in and out of school . Each year , 20 % of high school students report being bullied -- physically , emotionally , or socially . The results can be tragic , as the recent suicides of Phoebe Prince , Jamey Rodemeyer and Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover have taught us . Victims seldom report bullying incidents to their parents or their teachers because they are embarrassed , fear retaliation , worry that adults will make things worse , or resigned to the belief that nothing can be done . The humiliation of being bullied can haunt people their entire lives . As Secretary of Education Arne Duncan put it , `` Bullying is insidious , it tends to get enveloped in a code of silence and shame . '' Contrary to conventional views , bullying is not simply a result of troubled kids or peer pressure . The stark reality is that bullying has deep roots in adult behaviors and attitudes . What would you do if you witnessed three high school students berating another student for being smart , gay , learning disabled , quiet or just different ? Research has demonstrated that most of us would do nothing . We tend to be bystanders because we believe bullying is just kids being kids or we may not know how to intervene effectively . Our failure to act has large costs to our communities . When adults are bystanders , they inadvertently reinforce the bad behaviors of bullies and the passivity of students . However , bullying goes down when students stand up for victims . Bullying is not a rite of passage -- it is a human rights issue . Fortunately for kids everywhere , bullying is not an intractable problem . There are a number of ways to combat bullying . We can start by giving educators important tools . Teacher education programs typically do not include techniques on how to create a caring and safe environment in the classroom or strategies on how to handle peer conflicts . These programs often fail to provide basic knowledge of child development in the curriculum . This has to change . At the same time , educators can utilize proven anti-bullying programs . For example , the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program has resulted in a 50 % decrease in bullying behavior in Norway . In addition , educators can play their part by breaking down the high wall that often separates the cultures of adults and students . When adults are able to gain the trust and respect of the students , they have more credibility in resolving conflicts . Strong teacher-student relationships have numerous academic , emotional , social and moral benefits for students . Students should be enlisted in prevention efforts . They tend to be a lot smarter about their social environment than adults , and they are far more likely to adhere to community standards if they are involved in creating and monitoring those standards . Finally , it is up to the adults in all communities to step up . Nothing short of a full-blown media campaign is required to change people 's attitudes and behaviors . This kind of social movement is not without precedence . The best example is the designated driver campaign , which saved at least 50,000 lives in the United States alone . Imagine a world in which adults and children view bullying to be just as stupid and dangerous as drunk driving , and know how to stop it in its tracks . People will need guidelines on how to confront bullies , when to ask a target if he or she is OK , how to enlist the help of others , and when to call 911 . We can provide adults and children with the skills and confidence to act when they encounter bullying at bus stops , on playgrounds or online . We are at a moment of great opportunity . In 2010 , the Department of Education hosted the first summit on bullying prevention , and 48 states have now enacted anti-bullying legislation . Many schools and districts are working to create more caring communities . And Lady Gaga is speaking loud and clear at Harvard . Let 's not let this moment pass . Let 's translate this energy into concrete actions that will not only prevent bullying , but also help adults raise children who care about a more just and kind world . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Kathleen McCartney and Richard Weissbourd .
Lady Gaga is officially launching a foundation to inspire kids to be kind and brave . Kathleen McCartney and Richard Weissbourd : Bullying is not an intractable problem . They say that bullying has deep roots in adult behaviors and attitudes that can be changed . While bullying is pervasive , a full-blown media campaign can combat it .