Did I miss something? Are bullies of the world uniting and becoming unionized? Is there some fresh pandemic of bullying or have we gone soft(er) as a nation?
Somewhere George Carlin is rolling over and cussing in his grave.
I just saw a commercial for ECOT-which is an online school whose main draw, it seems, is to be free of bullying. The commercial mentioned nothing of the schools merits other than it is online and children can go to school from the safety and comfort of their own homes.
Why is this option available? I know home schooling has been around forever, not as a necessary safe haven from bullies but as an option for parents to school their children as they see fit. The fact that online schools are touting their safety as one of chief selling points is reprehensible.
Bullying is not new. There were bullies when I was in school and we knew how to deal with them. You hold your ground-as best you can. Dealing with bullies makes you wise and street smart. It makes you tough. We need more tough kids.
We have all heard the reasons for bullies: not loved enough at home…or too much, family history of violence, being a jerk. None of these reasons justify the existence of bullies yet they do exist.
So who is to blame? The school administrators? Teachers? Parents? Well, to put it simply: yes. It is also the fault of the lily-livered kids that allow themselves to be bullied.
I’m not insensitive. I’ve been bullied before so I know what I’m talking about. And these weren’t 1950’s era greasers; I’m talking about kids with guns and bravado to prove. Growing up in the crucible of gang violence made me a tougher, smarter kid than I would have ever been being sheltered in a home school environment.
When I was in school, teachers were tougher than kids. Teachers were not afraid of being sued by parents for disciplining their students. They had the wherewithal to do the right thing. We need a better class of teacher. We need Joe Clark.
I was lucky to go to a school with several Joe Clarks: Mrs. Bosley was not afraid. Mr. Paige was not afraid. These administrators would walk with us home through gang infested streets to make sure their students had the best chance at a great education. It was empowering knowing that Mrs. Bosely and Mr. Paige had our backs. It made us stronger and it allowed us to stand up as individuals knowing we had a support system behind us.
We also need a better breed of parent. I have a daughter and I know for a fact that she will have to deal with bullies. I will prepare her for such an eventuality. I will also be damned if she herself turns into a bully. There are some parents who, upon finding out their child is a bully, applaud the fact and celebrate their child’s accomplishments. That is their prerogative. They should know that their time will soon be at hand.
The truth is: the world needs bullies. It’s a sad fact but bullies make us tough. They prepare us for the harsh reality of the real world. I feel sorry for those who haven’t been bullied at some point for the real world will not be kind to them.
School is a microcosm of the actualities that await us all. It is a social experiment that molds us into the person we are going to be for the rest of our lives. Do not shelter your children from bullies as you would not shelter them from the realities of the real world. Prepare them, educate them or consider them stillborn upon their 18th birthday.
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