Being Politically Correct

As a writer, one must always be aware of being politically correct or at least expect possible back lash if one is not.  But let me get on my soap box just a little about one of the politically correct buzz words these days, bullying.

Hold the back lash.  Wait until I share my thoughts.  I do believe bullying is a terrible problem.  I recently wrote an article about our school district and some of the preventative measures they are utilizing.  Did you know that bullying statistics from 2010 show that one in seven students in kindergarten through 12th grade has either been a victim of bullying or been a bully themselves?  Fourth thru eighth grades show the worst incidents of bullying, with 90% of students reporting being victims of some form of bullying, mostly at school.  (See www.bullyingstatistics.org)

Okay, now that I've established that bullying is a real problem, let me get on my soap box.  We talk about bullying with kids so much that it can be too easy to pull out the "I'm being bullied" card.  There is a fine line here, no doubt.  But it seems the pendulum has swung the other way in elementary school.  I don't think this is the case with older kids.  They still seem to under report bullying, and that compounds the problem.  (This seems inconsistent with my above statement about 90% of kids report being bullied, however, one must ask who are they reporting this to?  Is it to the survey only or have they talked to their parents and teachers?)

So, how can I say it's overused in the younger grades?  The answer is my son and other kids around him.  For an example, he's reported to me about being bullied by an older child.  The upshot is this other kid teases him from time to time.  I don't condone it.  It isn't right.  I have talked to the school about it, and they've been working on fixing it, and near as I can tell they have.  But . . . my son also needs to learn to have a bit of a thick skin.  People of all ages aren't always nice.  They don't always say the nicest things.  Sometimes they're downright mean!  It is difficult to change other people, but we can change ourselves.  That means not calling ourselves victims.  It means shrugging things off, and not letting them bother us.  It also means forgiving.

Again, I am all for protecting our children and helping them.  I just believe that if we stop at trying to change the bully without building up the one being bullied, we've only done half our job.  I'm not saying anything negative about the kids who are bullied, so don't think I am.  What I am saying is that as a parent or an educator or an interested adult there's more we can do.

Whether you agree with my soap box or not, it's something to contemplate, isn't it?