lonegamer78 (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
lonegamer78) wrote2010-11-06 01:25 pm
lonegamer78) wrote2010-11-06 01:25 pm
Entry tags:
Writer's Block: When push comes to shove
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Talking is the best I can think of.
The closest to bullying I ever got was teasing during elementary school and middle school, and unrespectful touching by another classmate during high school. In the case of elementary school, I stopped responding to the teasing and they stopped. In the case of middle school, it wasn't because of me being the new kid on having moved there, but more of wanting to be accepted by a couple others and they teased me for it. High school involved a different classmate who got far too touchy-feely for my taste when I wanted to play with his Gameboy. Middle school, I talked with my counselor and mercifully things got solved between me and the involved parties (I gave up trying and we actually got a bit friendly later on, but we kept respectful distances). High school had to involve one of the higher staff members, and that came to a peaceful resolution as well (we both later went to the same city college and would often hang out with several others talking about video games; even went on a roadtrip once).
That was back then, when the concept of cyber-bullying wasn't hitting the headlines as often, and it was still schoolyard bullying.
Talks between the school admin, parents, AND students would be a good starting point. Forget anti-bullying videos, the bullies will just "lulz" and forget about it. How long until the next student dies and the bullies make fun of them, either in person or online? That sense of human decency is shrinking. How long until the next student comes into school with a weapon and starts terrorizing everyone on campus while wanting to "get back" at their tormentors? Will it have to be someone having to be sent to the hospital, or will it have to be someone actually dying to get that hammered - literally - into people's skulls? Parents and teachers should stop turning the other cheek, and learn to see the signs on campus and at home. They can't be "just kids going through a normal phase". Bullying isn't right. It's NEVER right. It's psychologically damaging to a variety of parties, in that where the bullied loses self-confidence and become a basket case of screwed up emotions, the bully doesn't learn the consequences and doesn't learn humility and tolerance, and the adults can suffer in ways that it's not funny. It can also get to the point of the bully "not caring", and that could easily pass on to the next generation. Teachers as bullies is also there, and that's just as bad. They have to learn that they are there to lead students, not belittle them. Parents bullying is another thing, because it's worst than teachers in that the kids themselves are living with them. Promoting is going to be difficult, but it's necessary.
What kids do can sometimes be a reflection of what they've learned and didn't learn, but what the adults don't do is just as damning. Bullying isn't something to be proud of.
Talking is the best I can think of.
The closest to bullying I ever got was teasing during elementary school and middle school, and unrespectful touching by another classmate during high school. In the case of elementary school, I stopped responding to the teasing and they stopped. In the case of middle school, it wasn't because of me being the new kid on having moved there, but more of wanting to be accepted by a couple others and they teased me for it. High school involved a different classmate who got far too touchy-feely for my taste when I wanted to play with his Gameboy. Middle school, I talked with my counselor and mercifully things got solved between me and the involved parties (I gave up trying and we actually got a bit friendly later on, but we kept respectful distances). High school had to involve one of the higher staff members, and that came to a peaceful resolution as well (we both later went to the same city college and would often hang out with several others talking about video games; even went on a roadtrip once).
That was back then, when the concept of cyber-bullying wasn't hitting the headlines as often, and it was still schoolyard bullying.
Talks between the school admin, parents, AND students would be a good starting point. Forget anti-bullying videos, the bullies will just "lulz" and forget about it. How long until the next student dies and the bullies make fun of them, either in person or online? That sense of human decency is shrinking. How long until the next student comes into school with a weapon and starts terrorizing everyone on campus while wanting to "get back" at their tormentors? Will it have to be someone having to be sent to the hospital, or will it have to be someone actually dying to get that hammered - literally - into people's skulls? Parents and teachers should stop turning the other cheek, and learn to see the signs on campus and at home. They can't be "just kids going through a normal phase". Bullying isn't right. It's NEVER right. It's psychologically damaging to a variety of parties, in that where the bullied loses self-confidence and become a basket case of screwed up emotions, the bully doesn't learn the consequences and doesn't learn humility and tolerance, and the adults can suffer in ways that it's not funny. It can also get to the point of the bully "not caring", and that could easily pass on to the next generation. Teachers as bullies is also there, and that's just as bad. They have to learn that they are there to lead students, not belittle them. Parents bullying is another thing, because it's worst than teachers in that the kids themselves are living with them. Promoting is going to be difficult, but it's necessary.
What kids do can sometimes be a reflection of what they've learned and didn't learn, but what the adults don't do is just as damning. Bullying isn't something to be proud of.