Bullying
By Kaldonya
@Kaldonya (277)
United States
January 24, 2007 2:17pm CST
How far can a school district or state go to protect children? How far SHOULD they go?
In South Carolina, a recent "bullying law" went into effect this month. It is to protect children against bully's in the schools. If a child is being bullied in ANY way: verbal, mental, physical, it will go on the bully's perm school record and even lead up to expulsion. WONDERFUL!
HOWEVER.......can this law be taken too far? They have said that with this law......any child that even PERCEIVES that they are being bullied, can report bullying, and then that will go against the "bully." So basically it is now one child's word against another. How are school officials supposed to distinguish who is telling the truth? They can't. So they say that ANY report of bullying will AUTOMATICALLY be reported as bullying. Now.....what if a child does not like your child and wants to get him/her in trouble? They can report and say that YOU'RE child is bullying them (even though they are not) and just say "it's mental bullying" (no marks). Now it is on your childs records. Or if someone is holding a grudge against you. Or what if someone is just joking around and two boys are just playfully punching each other in the arm (like they do) and someone else sees it and reports bullying. How far is too far?
I think that this law - though is meant with very well meaning intentions - is going to cause a lot more heartache than the state thought of.
3 people like this
6 responses
@Bev1986 (1425)
• United States
25 Jan 07
I think you might be right. The concept is good, but will it really work? I don't know.
We've got a big sign when you walk into our school that says "Zero tolerance for bullies!" Sounds great... but I can't tell you how many kids still get bullied... My daughter comes home and tells me all the time about someone picking on someone else. If I ask her why they don't tell, she says it's cause he'd get it worse when they got home if they told...
It's sad that some kids feel the only way to get attention is to be the mean kid....
@KrazyKlingon (5005)
• United States
24 Jan 07
Well - as much good intentions in making this law & passing it, it is going to be a headache. Not just for people trying to do their jobs, but for some inncent children too. You pretty much explained the problems in your original discussion, & I agree with it.
Also, in getting to the truth, if there are no witnesses (honest or otherwise) ... well - there is a reason polygram test (not sure if I'm using the right word here) is not all that accurate.
2 people like this
@Lydia1901 (16351)
• United States
30 Jan 07
It is going to be a problem either way, but it got to be done to protect those kids that can not protect themselves.
@mansha (6298)
• India
30 Jan 07
lol, your topic just pointed out once again, laws are really full of loopholes. I was wondering if they could add teacher's disceretion to it. AS generally techers know who is a bully in the class or school. Do you think kids will know about the law or are responsible enought to obey it. Its a funny but well intentioned law I must say.
@Randync (544)
• United States
30 Jan 07
I think the rule is a good idea but too strict on a first time offender so to speak. I think if 3 or more reports come in on the same kid, then it should go on their record. I mean reports by different students, showing a pattern of them being a bully.
1 person likes this
@babykay (2131)
• Ireland
12 Feb 07
It is the same in the workplace, if someone feels they have been bullied they are entitled to report this. Even if it is just mental bullying - any kind of bullying is capable of being acted on.
I was bullied in school, mentally and physically. It was awful. I think that not too many children will make up lies about another child for the simple reason that for every claim there will be an investigation and if someone has been found to be making false and malicious claims of bullying, this in itself is bullying.
I agree in broad terms with what this state proposes/
1 person likes this
