Bully in the First Grade

How do you teach your first grader that violence is never the answer?  Who would have thought that you would even have to worry about it at this age?  Just when you think everything is going good, wham!  Another problem arises!  (Isn't that always the case?)  There is a child in my son's first grade class that could possibly be classified as a bully.  We have been told about this kid pushing my son and other kids around.  Well, of course we have the standard answer, "Ignore him.  If it's a problem, tell the teacher."  We even talked to the teacher about it during parent-teacher conferences.  Then the other day, we get a phone call saying that our son's buddy in class got beat up by this so-called bully.  Beat up - in the first grade!  Who has ever heard of this kind of stuff?  Maybe it's the bubble I live in, but seriously, they are too young to be faced with this kind of stuff.  But our boy, realizing that something wasn't right, went and got the teacher.  That took a lot of guts to do that, and we are so proud of him.  So, apparently, talking with your children IS the answer.  Tell your kids that violence is never the answer.  Tell your kids that it's okay to walk away and it's okay to get the teacher.  Bullying and violence in schools has got to stop and it's got to stop now!