Talking Tough on Bullying

Talking Tough on Bullying

                         Should Stricter Standards be put into Place about Bullying in High Schools?

Bullying has become a hot topic among school administrators, parents and students alike. Last year, the increase and controversy about bullying became a hot topic after the death of South Hadley’s Phoebe Prince, who tragically took her own life after facing months of bullying and harassment by several of her classmates. After the awareness of just how serious and rampant this issue had become, the media exploded with news stories, statistics and allegations from schools across the nation. You could not turn on the television without the topic of bullying being the top story.

See Phoebe’s Story here: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2010/03/29/2010-03-29_phoebe_prince_south_hadley_high_schools_new_girl_driven_to_suicide_by_teenage_cy.html

Phoebe may have died an untimely death, but it was not all in vain. Because of her story, there has been a new legislation being passed to try and get stricter rules and standards in schools so that what she went through would not be experienced by any other student again. The article below talks about some of the restrictions and rules that are being put into place in High Schools all over the country. These rules include a strict cell phone ban, cameras in classrooms, and mandatory anti bullying programs once a week for students.

http://bostonherald.com/news/regional/view.bg?articleid=1314876

                The Boston Herald article also talks about the opinions of the students. Some believe that with the new restrictions, school has become more of a prison than a learning environment. With teachers monitoring internet use, cameras tracking their every move, students feel as though they do not have the freedom and privacy that students crave. The bottom line is that even if students can become more trustworthy after becoming educated on the topic, these measures could ultimately stop a story like Phoebe’s from happening again. Sure, it may not be ideal to be monitored, but if it will even help one student in the future who may be facing bullying, would it all have been worth it in the end?

                We believe that these restrictions are a great idea. Intervention programs should be present in all schools, whether bullying is an issue or not. When students are informed, they are less likely to participate, or to tell an adult about what they see. If the students of South Hadley had resources such as this program, tragedy could have been stopped. Budgets for school should be stretched to include these important programs which install values and life lessons that can be passed from student to student and beyond.

Questions on Bullying:

-What can schools and governments do to prevent bullying?
-Why is bullying more prevailent today than it was in the past?
-What can be done at the elementary level to educate students about bullying to stop it  
             from happening in the future?