School counselors, students equate rhetoric, insults on campaign trail to bullying

At times, the setting felt like a schoolyard rather than a presidential debate stage.

The 11th Republican debate of the 2016 run for the White House Thursday night in Detroit turned nasty from the get-go.

Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz attacked Donald Trump and the frontrunner counter-punched.

North Junior High in Colorado Springs is home to hundreds of students learning about the dangers of bullying.

Guidance counselor Kelly Gallegos was appalled at the language and insults from the debate.

“That’s not what we model for our students,” Gallegos said. “And when we have candidates modeling that for the whole nation, it’s very discouraging and impacts our students when they see that.”

Some students at the Springs middle school say they watch the debates to see role models, but after hearing the insults and nasty rhetoric, the youngest viewers say these people are teaching them a lesson in how not to behave.

“The president should treat everyone equally,” sixth-grader Lily Foster said. “Even though you’re fighting, you should treat everyone equally.”

The four remaining GOP contenders square off again next Thursday in Miami, five days before the pivotal Florida primary.

Democrats Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders will debate in Flint, Michigan Sunday night.