Attention Dr.Phil - An Excellent Discussion on Bullying Solutions (YouTube Video)
A message for every high school teacher, and Principal
My Name is
Darryl Learie . I was severely bullied
for years in high school.
I know from
personal experience that bullying in school is a destructive action that is met
with apathy within the public school system.
When
students are bullied, they are unable to achieve successful grades in their school
work. Their survival and preservation of self becomes their only priority. Dropping out of high school also becomes a
very real coping mechanism to the bullying problem. I don't need to explain
that poor grades, and unfinished schooling is detrimental to any quality of
life and financial success they could have enjoyed and benefited from within
their lives.
Not to
mention that the above will limit their capacity to contribute to society
academically and intellectually.
Being bullied is also catalyst for future
emotional, and mental illnesses (which will eventually cost the government, and
effect future generations).
The effects
of bullying last far into ones adult years. And ultimately through low
self-esteem and low self-worth, leads to a life of dysfunction (especially when
the bullying takes place during those years when a student's brain undergoes a
massive transformation in concept of self).
That
student's eventual self-destruction and/or life of dysfunction does not only effect
them personally but with every relationship they have in life, and future
generations of children they will conceive.
When
students are bullied, the abuse that they receive can only manifest in one of
two ways; inward - which commonly leads to suicide, or outward - which leads
to varying degrees of aggression towards
others, and in the most extreme cases
deadly violence towards others.
The public
school system say that they are concerned with the continuing problem of
bullying - but being actively proactive speaks far more than merely words of
conviction.
There is an
apathy within the school system when it comes to addressing the bullying
problem. This apathy is the product of many forms of denial. Like schools that
deny that they have a serious bullying problem for fear of tainting the school's
public and professional image.
Another
form of this apathy is when the bullying issue is ignored because no school
authority( whether it be teachers, principals, or even school trustees) will
take on the responsibility of addressing it.
Ideology is
also a problem. When the success of a school is solely measured by academic
performance it serves
to ignore whatever casualties are suffered because the majority go on to be working
members of society.
Below are
some personal examples of how this apathy also limits people like myself who
are willing to address the bullying issue.
I produced
a video aptly named "How Bullying Changed My Life Forever," and sent
links to that video, along with a letter of concern, to several important
school boards and trustees and staff of the schools in the city that I live. But
I have had no one ask for my further involvement in any capacity to address the
issue.
In 1998, I
produced an anti-bullying speech with help from an English Professor, and
presented the writing to my old high school.
They were not going to share the work with their students.
They did
not offer to rework the speech with me, they simply turned it down - even
though I am willing to help as a volunteer, simply hoping to have purpose in
this issue.
This is the
apathy I am talking about.
It is up to
the schools to implement an anti-bullying atmosphere. An atmosphere where
students do not act as if being at school is matter of survival of the fittest
(or survival of the most popular) but rather work as a team towards the
betterment of their collectively role in society.
Just like
that in a library where conflict rarely occurs because a strict, quiet
atmosphere of consideration is already established and understood.
There is an
answer to the bullying epidemic - but it requires a network of school
authorities sharing their stories of success to the bullying problem, and implementing
an anti-bullying curriculum.
It requires
a constant awareness of the bullying problem and presenting that awareness to
every school authority involved - for out of sight, out of mind, and thus no
action.
It requires
the constant celebration of all students, not just those who excel academically
and/or athletically.
How many
schools credit awards for moral aptitude?
Every issue
starts with awareness which leads to conversation, than debate, and eventual
collaborative efforts to resolve the issue at hand.
There are
solutions, there are answers
It is not up
to the bullied to seek out the answers, for they are simply trying to survive
and should not have to problem solve what should not happen to them in the
first place. For their only role is to attain an education as their right.
Is it not
the job of every teacher to build up every student? For every student cannot
reach their highest potential academically if they do not have a strong
emotional foundation.
Society is
a bee-hive where are greatest purpose is not necessarily measured by our jobs
but rather by the positive impact of our relationships onto our fellow human
beings.
Every
person has purpose in society.
Evil
happens when good people do nothing. Be part of the solution - not part of the
problem.
I created
my other video - How being bullied changed my life forever, please watch and share this video with every school
authority for surely they can watch 18 minutes of what I personally suffered
for years.
Thank-you
for reading - Darryl Learie
