General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Bully Gets Destroyed After Mocking Schoolmate’s Dead Sister NSFW [View all]Bettie
(19,712 posts)But there is still the attitude that it is an OK thing, a rite of passage.
In my boys' school, the big anti-bullying initiative is never to call out bad behavior, but rather to reward good behavior.
Oh, and being silent in the halls, that is the priority.
My oldest is a constant target and he's learned to deal with it, mostly. He also knows that being a big and strong kid, he could hurt someone if he ever got physical, so he is careful to mind his temper and never use violence, even when it is used against him.
The bullies are a lot more careful these days though, they make sure no one sees what they are doing, that the kids who might witness it are cowed into silence and, most importantly, that their own parents will always take their side 100%.
Generally, in my experience, it is the kids who are bullied, whose parents ask what happened, instead of reflexively saying "my kid would never..." are the ones who get punished. How sick it is that, they get punished for being bullied and saying something.
My son now begs me not to say anything to the administration. He says it is better to just keep his head down and wait for college. He's in 8th grade, an accomplished musician and in the gifted student program and yet, he dreads having to deal with the other kids at school.