| Bullying is bad, but state needs priorities |
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Posted: Tuesday, March 24, 2009 9:49 pm
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Nobody likes to be bullied.
As children, it hurts to get picked on. As parents, we’d like to do everything we can to make sure our children are confident enough to handle the hallway meanie. As educators, we work every day to protect kids and help them choose a better way to behave.
And that is as it should be.
But in late February, legislation now before the state Senate Education Committee was proposed to require school boards to craft a policy for training educators on dealing with bullying, for reporting such instances and for instituting disciplinary action should it happen.
The legislation, SF 971, considers harassment based on a plethora of status, including race, creed, color, sex, disability, gender, age — the usual topics. But it also includes socioeconomic status, group association and any physical characteristics. The legislation covers harassment in any form, including electronic and use of the Internet.
While no one can argue with the nobility of the legislation’s purpose, the reality is it’s unenforceable, unnecessary and ill-timed.
If this bill were passed, it would force school districts to somehow monitor the electronic (read e-mail) exchanges between students or, if a student brings an offensive message in, take the time to verify who sent it and why.
And by putting the vague phrases “physical characteristics” and “group association” into the legislation, district administrators could conceivably be overwhelmed with complaints of violations of the law.
Not to mention the fact that most school districts, Northfield included, already have a standing policy much like the one being considered by the Legislature.
The state has a multi-billion dollar deficit. Legislators need to work on fixing that and leave the issue of bullying to be handled on a local level.
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Amen to that.
This is a prime example of a well intended but miss guided effort of the administration. Instead filling the budget gap and improve education we work on non issues.
When I went to school we had bullies there as well, instead of an elaborate training session for teachers I just learned to stay away or deal with them.
In the end I found this to be a better preparation for real life, then some Utopian nirvana.
Guess what life is sometimes tough and there will be always "bullies" around that are trying to make your life difficult.
Learn how to deal with it.
Peter, do children possess the necessary skills for conflict resolution? And tell me, how did you deal with bullies that were larger and stronger than you, or had one or more friends on his side, while you were alone?
How often do you have to deal with bullies in "real life" as an adult? Assault and battery is a criminal offense as an adult, but what is it called if it happens on a playground?
I know one way to "stay away" from bullies if you can't "deal with them:" skip school or drop out. How often does that happen? It would be virtually impossible to get accurate statistics of how much truancy and how many drop-outs are because a child feels they're in danger if they go to school.
How many guns do kids take to school with them each year? Is it because they feel threatened with no other options?