There is a serious problem in our society. School children bring weapons to school and some of them actually use them. The problem isn't caused by violence in video games or on TV. Nor is it caused by musicians with controversial lyrics. The problem starts when troubled children aren't heard. When parents and teachers ignore the pain a child is obviously experiencing, they are sending a message to that child that they don't care about them. When a child feels so alone that they have no one to turn to, they get desperate. They feel as if they must take measures on their own. No child should be made to feel this way. In short, I believe the problem is that our society has forgotten compassion.
Bullying goes on in schools across the country every single day. Sometimes it's verbal, and sometimes it's physical. What happens when there is a fight at school? Both parties get punished. What does this teach the child who was trying to defend themself? What does it teach the bully? Obviously this is the wrong route to take. In any situation where a child is being bullied in any way, the first thing that must be done is to find out why. Listen to what both parties have to say and proceed accordingly. They are both apparently suffering in some way. If the bullying is allowed to continue after being explained simply by the phrase "kids will be kids", then the bullied child has no choice. He must defend himself to the best of his ability or continue to be harrassed. Most children pick the second route because if they defend themselves they will get in trouble. In doing so, they are setting themselves up for an emotional meltdown. One can only take so much of another's abuse before they begin to crack under the strain. The child is disliked by many at school. He has very few if any friends, and keeps to himself. He bothers no one, yet is picked on by many. Every morning he wakes up and knows that he has to face his enemies unarmed. Forced to endure a punishment he has not earned. One day, he decides that he's had enough. He brings a gun to school, intending to scare the tormenters. Someone shoves him in the hall and shouts obscenities. The dam holding back all of his emotions finally breaks, and the gun goes off. He shoots blindly into the crowd. The aftermath is terrible. Mourning parents, confused students, angry neighbors, and scared faculty all search for blame. They blame the one with the gun. He still has tormentors. They just have different faces and they are adults.
The saddest part of this story is that it could have been prevented if only someone had cared. If teachers and parents recognize that a child is hurting because of the actions of other students, something must be done. Voices must be heard and lessons should be taught. Children need to learn at home and at school that just because someone is different, they do not have the right to harrass them. They also need to be taught compassion. Ask them to put themselves in the other person's shoes. Make them take responsiblity for their actions and the consequenses of those actions. Help them to understand that it is never ok to hurt someone else emotionally or physically. This is a serious matter that needs to be dealt with in our society before it's too late. Remember, your child could be the bully, the victim, or the innocent bystander who gets caught in the crossfire. This problem can only be solved if we all take responsibility to make sure that no child is suffering because of another's lack of compassion. |