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Bullying and Violence in Schools
"If schools took harassment more seriously, they could prevent problems."
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to this Commentary!
By Matthea Levin
I’ve noticed a disturbing trend among the descriptions I’ve read of the teenagers
who commit school shootings. The vast majority are teenage males, and many are
described as being social outcasts.
Maybe bullying is more damaging than the media thinks. I’ve been harassed by
my fellow students, and I know how low it can make a person feel.
When I was in the sixth grade, an older student repeatedly teased me because
he thought I was gay, since I didn’t have a boyfriend and didn’t want one. After
months of locking myself in the bathroom during lunch to escape this student,
I went to the school counselor about it. I was told that he was probably having
a hard time of his own, and that I should have stayed out of his way.
Maybe, if schools took harassment more seriously, they could prevent the problems
from escalating to a level where people resort to violence self-inflicted
or otherwise. Instead of blaming school shootings on video games, goth culture,
or bad parenting, if educators took a closer look at the society of their schools,
they might be surprised at what they would find.
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