Bullying in Schools

[Q]

That's ridiculous. People have a right to defend themselves; children and adults.

 

I can think of a few conspiracy theories that would explain such a policy, but I don't feel like donning my tin-foil hat ATM.

[Rev7]

^

Yep, I feel that if you are in self-defence mode, that it is fine to 'defend' yourself. I wouldn't care about the rules if I was in a situation like that. Besides, there really hasn't been any fights at the school that I attend. But I have only been there for a year....regardless it is a rule that has been...well...not spoken about. I got this information from a teacher that has been teaching for probably 32 years. Let alone, at this school for probably 15 or more years. He is the only teacher that has spoken about this rule. And numerous other things (not necessarily bad things) that really haven't been spoken freely about.

[mur'phon]

I believe the main reason they punish you regardless of wether you fought in self defence is that it's often almost impossible for a teacher to know who was defending themselves. So what do you sugest teachers should do when the don't know who's guilty?

 

It might also have something to do with the fact that fighting back against a bully rarely works unless the victim and bully are about equally powerfull (not just strenght, friends, popularity etc also count).

[JediRevan]

I have always taught my children to ignore name calling. I have also taught them not to strike another person unless that person swings at them first. My son heeded my lessons as I pointed out in my first post. Since that day, the bullies have left him alone. I also taught him to respect others as well as himself. He will not hit a girl or a woman. He has enlisted in the Navy and will go to boot camp sometime this summer. He will take with him the lessons his stepfather and I have taught him for the last seven years.

[Sabretooth]

Was his name.. *DUN DUN DUN* SABRETOOTH?!

No, it wasn't. Besides, you know I don't bash skulls and have never taken martial arts. Different story, Ghostie.

[Jae Onasi]

Bullying doesn't typically start with physical violence. It usually starts with non-violent, but sometimes equally destructive, things such as name-calling, spreading rumors etc. That's where adults and more mature students can intervene before it escalates.

 

If violence is not acceptable behavior, then we need to teach alternatives so kids don't take bad habits into adulthood. Also, in the part of the country I live in, guns (legal or not) are readily available, and kids are unfortunately bringing them to school. Some of the schools have metal detectors but that's not fool-proof. While I tell my kids they can use self-defense techniques to the point that allows them to get out of the situation, if I tell them they can meet violence with violence, they could end up getting shot. They might not get hit that day, but that doesn't stop the bully (or his fellow gang members) from using weapons another day.

 

The 'hit the bully back and he'll leave you alone' philosophy may work for some but it won't for all, and it has meant a death sentence for some kids due to increased gun access. There are much better ways of dealing with bullies than teaching Johnny how to throw a punch back at the them. It is imperative in an increasingly weaponized society that we teach kids ways to handle conflict in non-violent ways.