What is Happening as a Result of Bullying Today
By Lee D.
Bullying has been a problem in schools for a long time, but recently there has been a sharp increase in the amount of it in the classrooms.
“One in every 16 students is bullied,” according to Ken Savage, a Boston blogger who is following the case of Phoebe Prince who hung herself as a result of bullying. “It is a problem that needs to be dealt with by students, teachers, and parents,” Savage said.
Many times bullying starts in the home; parents who don’t let their kids know the true effect of what bullying can do. “Kids made fun of me in elementary school, and I was depressed during this time and never thought I was good enough,” said Family Foundation School student Matt V. If parents know their kids are calling others names, or being a bully and don’t say anything, the bully-in-the-making may think it is okay to do that to others.
I have seen bullying take place many times. Kids who are quiet and don’t talk much often get picked on. I have seen teachers making fun of kids because they are weird, or don’t talk much. I wish I had done something at the time, and I regret to say that I have been a bully in my past and still can be, but I see what words can do and I want to make a difference. Instead of bullying people I try and stick up for the unpopular kids, and stand up for what is right.
Kids who are bullied are usually un-popular, gay, or lesbian and are five times more likely to be depressed or report feelings of suicide, according to Jeanna Bryner, managing editor of Live Science. Many of them are not standout members in school, so the bullies think they are less than, or weird and make fun of them thinking it will make them look cooler and be accepted by others.
Many students here at FFS were targets of bullying at home and know first-hand what it is like to be bullied on a day-to-day basis. “Being a small kid in school made me a good target for bullies. I would pretend that being teased didn’t bother me, but internally I felt lonely and like everyone hated me. After a while I began to take out all my anger and hatred that I felt towards others on my family, and did to them what I hated people doing to me,” FFS student Jack S. reported.
Bullycide is a recent term that describes the suicides that are taking place from bullying. A recent bullycide happened in Northhampton, Massachusettes, where a 15-year-old girl named Phoebe Prince, an immigrant from Ireland, hung herself after months of constant torment from other students.
Prince’s incident is not the first bullycide, and will not be the last if something isn’t done to stop bullying in schools. Within the last year there have been many suicides, and the number is rising.
While I have been at FFS there was a similar incident in my home town. A boy who was the same age as Prince committed suicide after being bullied day after day. It is hard to believe that something that horrific could happen at home.
Parents need to talk to their kids about the dangers of bullying and how it can affect others. Keep a watch on who they’re hanging out with, and what types of messages they are sending via email, texting, and Facebook or Myspace. Schools should be safe places for all kids to go and learn without the worry of being bullied to death.
