3/5/2013
The BULLY Project: Post 1 of 2
The BULLY Project...Take the Pledge!
http://www.thebullyproject.com/
What was your reaction to this movie?
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
The BULLY Project...Take the Pledge!
http://www.thebullyproject.com/
What was your reaction to this movie?
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Many parts of this movie made me feel very sad. I felt that the principal was not truly listening to the student expresses his problems and just trying to pretend that everything is okay. There are steps in place for people to report bullying, but I think that the consequences do not prevent the incidents from continuing. For instance, on the bus students were clearly being physical and should lose their bus priveledges for the rest of the year, but instead just received a warning if they continue. The issue is becoming more complex now that we have technology because it is easier for the students to bully without any adult being aware of it. As teachers we do not have access to student's facebook or what they are texting each other and there is no way for us to know what we do not hear or observe. It would be more than a full time job to go through every student's online history to check for bullying. I do not have the answer to fix it, but I do feel that there should be harsher punishment like being automatically expelled and attending mandatory counseling for the year so that the victim does not have to be around the individual. There are countless students that go through this and I am not sure that passes another law would make a big difference if there is no support for implementation in the systems.
ReplyDeleteLaura
I would be interested to see the R rated version. I felt as though this movie was very powerful and would lead to great conversation in the classroom. The cast was widespread and students can relate. While it is important for students to see how bullying affects people it is also important that those students who are being bullied find a way to express themselves and let someone know. Administrators, teachers, and parents are all responsible in keeping students safe. In reflecting on this movie I wish I could say I am shocked. Unfortunately, it is a very real epidemic and this is happening all over the country. I find that the more I educate myself on ways to keep students safe the more confident I become that I will have a bully-free classroom.
ReplyDeleteThis movie was very powerful and at I felt myself fighting back the tears. I think is a movie that all kids should watch. I was disturbed by the bullying but I truly think I was even more disturbed by some of the reaction of the adults in this movie, especially the principal/administrative staff, etc.
ReplyDeleteI think the kid's name was Cody, can't really remember, but when he has "forced" in a sense to shake the hand of the kid that had been bullying him and the principal basically compared him to the bully because he didn't want to do it. That made me so angry. She wasn't listening to his feelings and she was "ignoring" the real problem by acting is if a "handshake" or "apology' was sufficient and that the bully was really sorry and would not do it again. The poor kid was trying to express his feelings but she was coming down on him as if he was doing something wrong.
Also, the comments about kids just being kids, I can't stand that excuse. I have heard it a lot and I hear it a lot. Kids will be kids.
A big part of me feels that in order to begin to address the issue of bullying adults need intervene properly and not ignore the issue. Changing a student from a bus route, making them shake hands, isn't solving the real issue; it is so much more than just that.
The movie was indeed heartbreaking. We all know now that bullying, when left unrestricted can become a serious problem. Some of us are able to spot the victims as well as the bullies, but for most of us, our eyes and ears do not notice the sometimes-subtle bully behaviors in school. There are prime times when it usually takes place though, and other kids are aware of bullying, in the hallways transitioning from class to class, during study hall, during PE class, at lunch, and on the bus ride to a from school. The other children are listening and seeing bullying during these times, perhaps they do not know how to respond, or they do not realize that bullying needs to be reported to adults. Taking the position of a bystander is not an option, because witnesses are an integral part of an anti-bullying team in school consisting of teachers, students, and parents. Parents should know that if their child reports bullying they need to alert the school to provide an awareness of the situation, so the school can work to put an end to it before it escalates.
ReplyDeleteMost of us might be familiar with Judith D. Scruggs case of Meriden CT., in which a 12 years old Daniel hanged himself in the bedroom closet in January of 2002.He did not have a normal family and was socially backward. Single mother worked two jobs and did not have time take care of him. He missed more than a month before his suicide because of being bullied at school.Witness testified that Daniel was punched, kicked and spat on in school and regularly skipped classes and even defecated in his clothes so he could be sent home. Nothing was done about it, just as in the movie. We need more people for anti-bullying advocacy. In spite of supreme court's decision holding schools accountable for bullying and making it easier for students to report abuse, bullying has taken another form, 'cyber bullying,' which is a serious problem in the world of technology.
Ira
I wish I could show this movie to everyone I know. I would want kids to see it for sure, but after watching the film, I want to show it to adults more. It seems like almost all of the adults shown in the film were oblivious to the bullying that was happening all around them. They either didn't know what was happening or thought it was insignificant. Middle and high school students are at such an important and influential stage in their lives and all of the experiences they have will be something they take with them into adulthood. Not only should educators know the consequences of bullying but it's important for parents to know what goes on with their kids when they are away from home. It was shocking to me that the Alex's parents didn't know what was going on with their son. Surely the parents of the bullies don't know what their kids are doing either.
ReplyDeleteAfter watching the film, I decided to carry the theme over to my other classes and am doing a presentation for iPhone and Android apps for bully prevention and reporting. There is definitely some good technology available to students who find themselves the victims of serious bullying.