Bullying,

My Position Paper

by: Monica Olson

            In a suicide letter, a young girl writes “If I try to get help it will get worse. They are

always looking for a new person to beat up and they are the toughest girls. If I ratted, they would

get suspended and there would be no stopping them. I love you all so much”(The National, CBC,

2004, p.3).

            The Government and school officials believe that they have found a way to stop bullying.

With the new anti-bullying laws they think there is a possibility that they can control them and

stop the vicious cycle. They also think that these new laws that are now in place will stop

bullying once and for all; moreover, reduce the number of suicide attempts that lead to death.

Since the New anti-bullying laws have been put in place, bullies are still browbeating, their

victims continue to suffer, and the suicide rate has not slackened. Bullying has been around

forever. Furthermore, it will continue to be around for a long time. Whether these laws are out

there to protect bully victims, it makes no difference, nothing will ever stop them.

            Bullies are like bloodsuckers, they thrive on power. As children, many of us have had to

face bullies one time or another. Today, statistics show that every seven minutes a child is

bullied mentally and physically (Department of Justice, Canada, 2003, p.1). Having to cope with

bullies every day, teachers and students find it hard to deal with them. Consequently, the new

anti-bullying laws have no effect on these juvenile delinquents. In addition, if bullies are not

dealt with when they are young, they may face years of jail time or become abusive to their

families when they are older. Some might even become alcoholics (Bully beware, 2004, p.1). In

fact, children, that are bullies when they are younger, often become bullies when they are adult.

            When a child is constantly teased by bullies, the results can be quite devastating as in the

case of Brandon. He was a young boy who had to put up with the constant teasing and

harassment for years. Brandon got to the point where he could not take it anymore. Regretfully,

he committed suicide which he thought was his only way out. His mother Kathy speaks out

 “Those years that I saw the sparkling light of joy, love, and hope in his big, beautiful, brown

eyes–slowly replaced with the darkness of pain, devastation, and hopelessness. The night that

Brandon stood by me and told me that he felt “dead inside”–then the morning, three weeks later,

that I stood over his dead body, knowing, that despite all my efforts to save my beloved son,

            the bullies job had been too well done. Their mission had been accomplished. Suffice to

            say that through all this, Brandon and all of us who love him were not having fun. Where

            was any justice for Brandon? Where is justice for us? Our light, our hope, our joy has

            been replaced with darkness, hopelessness, and an unrelenting sorrow. We feel dead

            inside” (Jared story, 2004, p.3).

Overwhelmed with grief, many bully victims commit suicide to escape the pain. Regretfully,

These repetitive attacks can have serious repercussions. Furthermore, a child who has been a

victim of bullying may develop low self esteem and severe health problems. These problems

may include depression and (PTSD) Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. As the bullying continues,

these children plunge into an overwhelming pit of despair. They feel alone, thinking they have no

where else to turn. In the end, they turn to suicide that almost always results in death (Jared story,

2004, p.1-3). The bully victim almost always loses in the end. All their hope is gone and and

death is the outcome.

            Nothing has really changed since the new anti- bullying laws have taken effect. An

example of this was in an article written for the Standard Times that made headline news. The

granddaughter of Diane Lowe who attended Normandine Middle School, was a victim of

bullying from other students. Diane had repeatedly brought this issue to the attention of the

school’s faculty to no avail. Since it seemed that the new principle did not take the matter

seriously, Diane transferred her granddaughter to a private school (Standard Times, December

17, 2002, p.1). Today, adults fail to recognize what could be an act of bullying, plus they have a

hard time distinguishing the difference from regular child’s play. Sometimes it is better to have

your child transferred to another school than to keep them in a place where their life may be

threatened.

            Another school that made headlines was Santana High. They had just received a grant to

help with the changes in the school. Inevitably, in March of 2001, two students open fired on the

school killing Two and injuring 13 other students. It had been reported that these two boys had

been bullied repeatedly over a long period of time. (Union-Tribune Publishing co, 2002, p.1).

This proves once again that its going to take a lot more than a few laws to stop bullies from

terrorizing others. Besides, its now the bully victim wants to seeks revenge. The constant abuse

victims experience pushes them to do desperate acts. Seeking revenge, they often lash out on the

attackers, injuring and, in some cases, killing them.

            Adults have to open their eyes. Children are silently crying out for help and nobody is

listening. By the time anyone does, it is too late. How many more are going to die before

something is done. The anti-bullying laws that have been put in place to stop bullying have failed

drastically. Bullying will continue with or without laws and that is the reality we all have to face.