Mean Girls
10-year-old Ashlynn Conner went up to her bedroom and hung herself in the closet, after having faced another day of bullying at school from two classmates. Her parents were stunned at her death, not realizing the impact the torment at school was having on their child. Many children hide their problems from their parents, who should not feel guilty in such cases. Many of you growing up can remember problems you hid from your parents. Now that some of you are parents, you should think about using those insights to figure out what's going on with your children.
Some kids are beaten up and mercilessly mocked at school on a regular basis. Some teens have been subjected to terrible incidents, regarding nude photos or videos from their mobile phones being posted on the internet, leaving them embarrassed to the point they feel they cannot go on. These students need help and support to make it through school, lest these problems overwhelm them and result in suicide, as seen in a number of cases. This should be a national initiative.
Schools on a national level, via legislation from Congress, should adhere to a strict policy of anti-bullying rules, to protect children from killing themselves under the weight of abuse at school from other kids. Students who bully others, should face expulsion from school.
The threat of being kicked out of school would be incentive enough for many kids to stop this inappropriate behavior, as they do not want to be expelled. Schools should publicize their anti-bullying rules to students through posters on the walls and announcements throughout the year, clearly letting students know, if they cross the line and it is credibly proven, they are subject to expulsion and or criminal charges (this includes cyberstalking via email, social networking or texting).
I never bullied anyone in school and no one bullied me, but preteens and teens today are different. Some kids today are a little too advanced and growing up way too fast. They aspire to be "Mean Girls" as shown in the film of the same name, taking the wrong message from said film.
Then again, when they see the star of the movie, Lindsay Lohan, behaving so badly in her real life, getting into public fights, stalking and bullying people, cutting up in court and disrespecting everyone in sight, including sitting judges, it doesn't send a good message. There are a host of other teen films released over the past several years, geared towards boys and girls that encourage bullying, painting it as cool. There is nothing cool about kids being bullied to the point they seek suicide as a way out.
To kids being bullied that are reading this article, I recommend you tell your parents and or teacher at school. Keep things in perspective. Do not take your life. Focus on your education and try to think ahead to the future when you can successfully live your dreams in whatever profession you want to pursue in life. School is only for a time. As you get older, you are not going to care about what they thought about you in school, but what you made of your life once you got out. God loves you and God bless you.
