Parents are angry that students taking part in an anti-bullying workshop at a middle school in Pennsylvania were asked personal questions that made them bullying targets, the Associated Press reports.

Eighth-grade students taking part in a 'Kindness Workshop' last week were asked to form a circle. One by one they were asked to step into the centre and share personal details with the group.

Parents said the leading questions asked about their religion, their parents' financial and educational backgrounds, drug and alcohol use, and whether the kids were gay or not.

The school board has stood by staff at the West Allegheny Middle School, where the incident took place.