Bullying isn’t a new topic. For years it has dominated the news, social media, and multiple movements have sprung up in hopes of educating students on the horrors of bullying. It would seem that everyone you meet is fully against bullying and everything related to it.
Unfortunately, bullying still persists in all communities, and has led to some very real consequences. Suicides, murders, and most recently a school shooting in Ohio have all been attributed (even if falsely) to bullying, and yet we allow it to continue.
As a victim of bullying, I could tell you of how middle school and high school were often the worst times of my life due to the things said and done to me by people.
I could tell you how awful it made me feel, and I refuse to go home simply to avoid remembering those rough times. I could tell you of the torment I watched my friends and family face for being different, and how I’m amazed any of them turned into mostly upstanding citizens. I could tell you this stuff, but you’ve heard it all before.
I guarantee anyone reading this article has been through some sort of anti-bullying campaign, lecture, or something similar. I would even bet my tuition that most, if not all, readers have been bullied, or have been a bully themselves.
I think this is where we run into problems with our current anti-bullying techniques and campaigns. By the time middle school or high school hits, it seems too little too late and bullying is already engrained into the culture.
My suggestion would be to start anti-bullying education and campaigns even earlier. Teaching children at a young age that bullying is wrong, and the importance of holistic acceptance could lead to something great.
Think about it, we’re taught not to touch the stove at a young age, and how many of us now know that the hot parts of the stove shouldn’t be touched? It was introduced to us early, and it made sense as it had real-life repercussions.
The same goes for teaching children the importance of being accepting at a young age. If we introduce it to them early, and tell them of the real-life repercussions, we could see some true changes.
From there, what about having these same anti-bullying campaigns and lessons in early childhood classrooms? I can’t speak to their prevalence in schools, but why would we not have them? Placing young students in immersive cultural experiences and approaching acceptance in a way that works for them could set our society off on the right foot.
Think about it, a world where students enter middle school and high school with the experiences to be accepting to all cultures and people, no matter what they look like or what clothes they wear. This precedent is moved on to college, or the work force, and we begin to see true changes in our society.
It’s lofty, I know, but we have to start somewhere. I’m not saying that the current anti-bullying campaigns are pointless or show no results, I think they’re wonderful things that should stay with our society; I think we may see bigger results from alternative tactics.
We’re an excited generation, one that believes it can change the world. I believe we can. Bullying may always exist, but I see no reason why our generation can’t be the one to lead the charge for a more accepting future.
