Memorandum submitted by Sian Laing
Bullying is doing or saying something to another
person that makes them feel or act different, such as being worried,
scared or threatened. I think bullying is a very big problem,
especially in schools as people have to deal with the bullies'
everyday, and this is why some kids start skipping school. In
our school, there are just a few people who think they are more
special than everyone else, and if anybody is different from them
in anyway or they are secretly jealous of this person, they start
doing things to them. I have witnessed bullying, anything from
people making nasty comments occasionally to people being battered
everyday. Some people because of bullying have even started to
smoke and things like that to "fit in' with the bullies.
Other people I know have even started bulling other people themselves
because apparently they think it's unfair that it always happens
to them and nobody else. I think people are bullied just simply
because they are different than other people, I also think that
everybody bullies somebody else to a certain extent without realising
it, like just saying something about another person to your friend
that you wouldn't say to their face because you know it's nasty.
Racist bullying happens quite a lot really, because if someone
is a different colour than you, they sometimes get pushed out
of groups and get called names. Other people become bullies because
they are insecure about their home lives, and use bullying as
an excuse to take their anger out on other people.
Bullying can affect schoolwork because people
try to stop doing as good at their schoolwork, in case they get
singled out and picked on for it. I think the victims mental state
changes straight away because they begin to think to themselves
that they have to change to stop their problems. I also think
that they stop becoming as social and become very lonely, because
many people take the bullies' side because they are scared of
getting bullied themselves, so bullying effects the witnesses
as well. Bullying would probably stop when they reach adult life,
and people would gain their confidence and friends back. I also
think that people who were bullied as a child are more likely
to understand what children feel like and are going through. Bullies
have no real friends because they usually hang around in gangs,
but they are only there because the gang/friends feel that they
are going to be bullied if they don't stay friends with the bully.
Our school, when they know bullying goes on
sits down with the bully and try to explain how the other person
must be feeling. If it continues or the bullying was very bad,
they would be excluded. But I think there are too many schools,
which are unaware of bullying, because children are too frightened
to speak up! Parents can help deal with bullying by telling children
what to do if they are being bullied or punishing children who
are the bullies. I think other services you can use, such as child
line are good, because you can ring them anonymously and tell
them your problems, and they would give you advise on how to deal
with it, without being in fear of bullies finding out that you
have told someone.
Schools can be responsible for bullying, because
that is where bullying takes place and that's the only place where
you can't walk away from them, because the bullies are in school
with you, also things that start in school can lead to more trouble
out of school. Like one person gets his "gang of mates (outside
school)" to help him bully people and eventually situations
get out of hand when lots of people get involved and rumours start,
and there become several different versions of the original story.
I also think that a lot of bullying happens outside school, but
not many people are aware of this because there aren't as many
witnesses to see and tell what is going on, unlike school. Even
though racist bullying is counted as being very bad, I think any
form of bullying, racist or not, is bad and all of it should be
stopped and it should all be treated seriously, even if it was
only 1 comment that upset someone, because it may continue. And
I think people should persuade others to speak out about what
is happening, even if it is just telling a close friend who might
be able to help you.
October 2006
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