Ending Bullying At School

When there is a bullying incident at school, it does no good to notify the parents of the guilty student, in almost every case. The parents these days are likely to disbelieve the report, and do nothing. Or they downplay its importance. In many instances the parent is also a bully, an abusive spouse or boss. Bullying knows no sociological limits in the United States of Aggression. It happens among the rich, the poor, the old, and the young. WE glorify bullies in America, and serve them up as role models. I give you one Donald Trump. He is far from being the only one. There are bullies in the corporate board rooms, and the legislative bodies of America. Since bullying happens among children mostly at schools, dealing with it is, or should be, a task of the schools. All too often, the schools do nothing about it either. American public schools spend very little time and effort teaching respect. And all too often they sacntion the very conditions which contribute to an atmosphere conducive to bullying. For insatnce, in most schools beyond grade school, the students go to the cafeteria and sit where they wish. Therefore they form peer groups,cliques, and social strata. To eliminate this, one method would be to rotate seating positions in school cafeterias. At one time or another, everybody sits with everybody else in the school, someone different every day, regardless of personal friendship or peer group. This prevents a lot of social exclusion. Monitoring students in all activities, in the restrooms, on the playground; everyhere at school where student interaction occurs, is crucial, and teachers can be trained to recognize signs of bullying. Teasing, taunting, social abuse or exclusion of any sort muust not be tolerated; zero tolerance. Respect can be taught, and learned. The excuse that children must learn how to deal with all manner of social situations in a free market atmosphere is pure, unadulterd rubbish, a perfect excuse for teachers and administrators, and parents for that matter, to avoid responsibility, and keep their own jobs nice, safe, and easy. If students are ever going to become responsible adults, the adults who model behavior for them must first become responsible adults. Bullying offenders must be punished, and though most suggested methods include short term suspension from school, a better method might be found in the social environment itself. The very sight of a convicted bully apologizing to his victim, to his class, or to the whole lliving breathing school might make an impression. Nobody, including bullies, likes to be publicly embarassed. Since in America public embarassmaent is the worst of all possible crimes in a society predicated on vanity, this idea is never given due consideration. Native Americans knew better; wayward adolescants among the indians made their sincere apology in front of the whole tribe, chiefs, warriors and all. Very embarassing, and very effective. The old testament says that disobedient children should be put to death by their parents, but as of now, the situation in America has not become that desperate. Its still early,though.