Bullying has long been a problem at schools all across the world but efforts are being made to curb it. Bullying often starts at a young age and can affect how children develop.
Teacher Edward Potter describes bullying as, “When one person harasses another in such a way that the other person is incapable of responding.” It can also be described as any form of aggressive behavior in which someone intentionally and repeatedly causes another person injury or discomfort. It can take the form of physical contact, words, or more subtle actions.
Potter knows first hand what it’s like to be bullied. “When I was in middle school, I rode the bus to school,” he said. “There was a high schooler on the same bus that bullied me. He would harass me, stick things in my hair, etc.”
Now, as a teacher, he is aware of what to look for. “I am careful to bring any negative interactions to a halt. I also let my students know that I am here if they need someone to communicate with,” he said. “This leads to finding out about things that the school can deal with. We have a school protocol for bullying. We report potential cases, and they are investigated. If it was in fact bullying, corrective measures are taken to ensure the situation doesn’t continue.”
Potter says, “The key to addressing bullying is to be vigilant. Listen when students tell you things, watch for negative interactions in classrooms or always. I know it sounds cliché, but we need to treat people the way we would want to be treated.”
Student Ciyanah Worthy said, “I stand up for whoever I see getting bullied and I don’t participate in it. Bullying starts with someone being different or believing differently from you. Some ways I have been bullied were name calling and body shaming.”
Another student, Paris Nixson added, “I think bullying is morally wrong, and once seen in action it should be stopped immediately. Those that bully others should be punished. If I see bullying I try to say something to try and stop it. I don’t like to see others getting treated badly, because I know what it feels like. I used to get bullied when I was younger by these groups of girls at school.”
