Bullying – Dying to Be Accepted
By K, a GVS 11th grader
I chose to study the subject of bullying because I strongly feel it is relevant to the time we are living in right now. Old modes of behavior that belong in ‘The Old World Order’ are being put away in favor of a new way of thinking about human development. High profile cases in recent times have brought attention to a subject that has long been considered a rite of passage for young people. The true nature of this rite has been exposed as a human rights violation. It is not ‘kids being kids’. It is an institutional and societal-condoned breach of basic trust.
I have been a victim of bullying. It was so degrading, because I didn’t want to be known as weak, but I didn’t want to fight. I also didn’t want to be known as a tattle tale. There is a saying: “Snitches get stitches,” which every high school teenager is familiar with hearing. I walked into a bathroom the first day of school and three boys on the wrestling team confronted me. One of them challenged me and then put me in a chokehold. I was vulnerable and outnumbered. Luckily for me, I have a strong support system at home and the situation was resolved. Still, it stayed with me, in my mind. I can imagine that someone who does not have support at home or does not feel they can talk to their family about bullying would feel very isolated and helpless to take action.
Bullying has become a national epidemic and suicides have drawn attention to the plight of teenagers who are victims of the practice. This is why I chose to write ‘The Ten Amendments’ to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. They make provisions for children to be protected from the practice of bullying. It should be a zero tolerance law. No one should be afraid to be who they are because they fear being bullied.
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Posted under Culture, Current Events, Education, Personal Growth, Students and Alumni
