Bullies.....

When you were a child were you picked on?  Were you considered the outcast of your class/grade/school?  What did you do to cope?

There's more than one reason this subject comes up today.  First reason: A VERY good/close friend of mine has a son who is being bullied.  Why?  Who knows.  He was having a good time and instead of someone asking him if he said something or did something they just punched him in the face.  What should have been a simple fix has now turned into a kid being followed around school, town, threatened, getting texts, phone calls and emails telling him he'll get his ass kicked when he's not watching etc.  What is the purpose of this?  One may never know.

Second reason: As most of you read today there was a shooting at a school in Ohio.  One person killed, Four injured.  What caused this student to shoot?  He was considered the outcast and was being bullied at school. 

Here's my question for YOU to answer.....why was nothing done about this?  I'm not saying that its one persons fault.  I'm saying that there are many things that could be/could have been done to keep this all from happening, yet it wasn't. 

You have kids who are being beaten up on a daily basis, called names, being made fun of because of their gender choice.  Does it make you feel stronger by making fun of someone?  Does it make you a better person because you beat the living daylights out of someone?

As a kid in school I was constantly picked on.  I was called many names, I was pushed up against a wall to where my neck was injured, I was shoved down stairs, I was seriously bullied.  I took action, I talked to whoever I could to get it to stop, I stood up for myself, but not everyone can/will do that.  Most people who are bullied refuse to open up and say anything for fear they will be abused more.  This shouldn't happen.

What is the purpose of an anti-bullying program if you aren't going to use the steps to keep it from happening?  I'm not saying again that they aren't doing anything, but obviously something is seriously wrong with this picture if a student walked into a school, shot 5 people killing 1 and no one had any idea. 

There is no reason any student/person/child should be afraid to go to school.  School is supposed to be a safe place for a person.  What if you are a child and you get abused at home and the only thing making you look up for the day is because you are going to school to get away from it?  Yet, you can't go to school and not be abused there because you are being bullied.

While this may be a touchy subject for some of you, it doesn't matter.  This is my First Amendment right to voice my opinion so here it is.  DO SOMETHING before its too late.  Take all steps needed.  Parents need to keep their children from bullying others, parents need to keep their child from being bullied.  It is as much the parents responsibility (outside of the home and at school) as it is the teachers responsibility to take care of it when its brought up at school.  If a parent calls you concerned about their child's safety don't pass it off as no big deal.  It is a big deal. Take it seriously.

There are many kids who have committed suicide due to bullying....kids who have taken matters into their own hands, getting a gun, knife etc. and killing their bully.  Fighting violence with violence is not going to solve it.  It takes a world of people to put this to an end.

I pray that my children don't have to deal with this, but I'm sure as they get older it will happen.  I'm prepared to do whatever I can to keep it from happening.  I do not approve of bullies, I will not allow my children to bully others and I will not allow them to be bullied. 

My prayers and thoughts go out to the families/friends/students/teachers of the kids injured/killed in the Ohio shooting today and I also pray for the shooter......that he may realize what he's done.....its absolutely tragic.