I copied this from The Knoxville Newspaper,the story says so much and shows how bullying is getting more out of control.This has to stop too many teens are ending their lives
KNOXVILLE (WATE) - Kids are being terrorized in school, on the bus,
even in their own homes by bullies. Teenagers committing suicides and
juveniles committing adult crimes that could land them behind bars seem
to be on the rise.
Experts say we need to change the way we deal with bullying. In
East Tennessee, schools, parents, and even community organizations are
helping deal with it.
Jamal Spradling, an 11-year-old from Talbott, said he's been bullied
and seen others face bullying. "I know it can really hurt people a lot,
and it happens very often."
6 News visited schools in 3 counties. Every child and adult we talked
with had an experience with bullying, either as a victim, bystander, or
even a bully. 9-year-old Cayla Smith of Talbott told us she was the
target of bullying when adults were out of sight. "This girl threatened
me, in the bathroom, to give her all my silly bands, and if I didn't she
would pin me up to a corner."
Austin Mayberry, a 7th grader in White Pine, said he has been
reluctant to step in at times when others faced bullying, even though he
felt it was wrong. "I just want to intervene and tell them, just back
off, just go away, just leave them alone."
Elizabeth Young told us seeing a family member bullied was more
painful than enduring it herself. "My little brother's been bullied
before and it really hits home when it happens to somebody you know,"
she said.
It's nothing new, even experts like University of Tennessee professor
and author Dr. David Dupper has been there. "I was a victim of
bullying," he said. Dupper said the problem is getting worse, sometimes
more violent, and bullies can have a more damaging effect on their
victims than ever before.
"I think with the cyber bullying, the viciousness, the cruelty,
that's what I think is really getting people's attention," added Dupper.
Some victims are afraid to tell, but through new school and community
programs, counselors are getting children to open up.
We read surveys circulated through one school district by non-profit,
Safe Space. The stunning results, scrawled in a child's hand over and
over, were words like, "I'm being bullied. I'm sad. I'm scared." One
survey from a 4th grade student stood out. It read, "I wish I was dead!"
"It's hard to say that bullying in and of itself is going to lead to a
suicide attempt," explained Dupper, "but if a kid is already having
difficulty with family issues, or some mental health issues, bullying
could really be the thing that pushes them over."
Tennessee schools are required to have a policy to address bullying
on school grounds, and for the first time in 2012, they must have a
policy to address cyber bullying.
It's a step in the right direction says Dupper, but we must also take
bullying seriously, get rid of stereotypes about what a bully looks
like, and the mind set that we as adults must witness bullying to stop
it.
"Just like we don't tolerate child abuse, we don't tolerate domestic
violence, we're not going to tolerate bullying," is the message we
should be sending to our kids, said Dupper.
Cassandra Kyker, a 7th grade student in White Pine, agrees bystanders
and witnesses to bullying should step up. "It's always good to go and
tell a teacher each time that someone is being bullied cause if it gets
too bad, they could actually go home and kill themselves," she said.
Creating a community of adults who won't stand for bullying,
and empowering children who witness bullying to react, experts say is
key.
A dramatic change in behavior, a new fear of going to school, and a
drop in grades are all signs that your child may be a victim of
bullying. Bullying is abuse that takes different forms, but experts say
generally boys are more likely to be physical, and girls often use
emotional bullying, like excluding, or spreading rumors.
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