See the picture-it’s probably just before or after class, during recess,lunch, or some other free time. An overworked teacher, or playground assistant, comes upon a bunch of kids surrounding one other child-teasing, taunting, taking his things away and threatening to not give them back, ans sometimes, actually hitting him. It’s difficult to find who began the bullying incident-or even which ones are even active participants. So, who gets the attention and ‘treatment’-the victim!

Oh-he may have worn outdated clothing, carried a book bag instead of a backpack-oh, how antisocial! But-he is the one who will get the attention. Just because he’s the one who’s easier to identify.

Face it-any kind of unsought individualized attention or counseling,that is, in effect,using up his free time to rectify the situation,is going to be viewed as punishment. Which should rightfully belong to the bullies who started the problem! but no-the problem must be with someone who is antisocial enough to cause his ‘school friends’ to act hostile towards him!

Now, I know that some victims have mental and social problems-as do some bullies. But, for the behavior described, it’s the bully who should be made to feel that his behavior is definitely NOT acceptable.

Well, shouldn’t educators know this, by now?But-this mode of handling the problem has been going on almost since public education became mandatory.

There have been some positive changes-but almost never in the public schools! While they constantly whine for the school taxes to e raised,many private schools are enforcing a ‘zero tolerance’ policy towards bullying. But, public schools have done little-in this regard.

It’s definitely time for a change-but, I don’t think it’ll come within the public schools. I’d rather see educational vouchers given-for parents to sent their kids to a private school of their choice, or for home schooling materials. Within almost every economic, ethnic, and social setting, kids who have such a opportunities do better, academically and socially than those sentenced to public schooling.

I now I tend to rant on this subject, but, I’ve seen too many generations of victims punished-and bullies rewarded-to remain silent. And, if you think this is normal-how would you act if someone at work took credit for your ideas, didn’t credit you for overtime, and talked behind your back-and,all the while, they were being listened to, and believed, by your employer?

I think that overall, the schools are doing a decent job of social control/manipulation. Bullying is a pretty normal behavior, and no matter how disappointing that behavior is, I think it would be difficult to claim that it is aberrant behavior. Since it’s a fairly normal function, the school has a fairly thin line upon which to walk, and I think that they are doing OK.