Putting a spotlight on bullying

Central's Katie Boyer is campaigning on a platform against bullying. [Order this photo] During her freshman year, Katie Boyer said she suffered so much emotional damage from bullying that she had to transfer ...

[Sam]

great job Katie for speaking out - maybe more people will start to stand up against bullying since you put yourself out there

[Tuck]

I don't advocate torturing or humiliating another human being, but high school "bullying" has been around for years. In my day (a mere 20 years ago) we called it teasing. Some girls were more brutal than others, and those you quickly learned were the ones to either avoid or feel sorry for. How does putting a spotlight on this issue teach the kids anything, especially when you allow a child to transfer to another school because they "can't handle it".

As parents, shouldn't we be there to help our kids cope? My kids are Asian and don't "fit in" with the Rockwood School Ditrict. Think they don't come home and ask us about the hateful little comments that are made to them? As painful as it is knowing someone called our daughter a name, I don't choose to allow her an easy out and instead teach both our kids to stnd up for themselves, adapt with a sense of humor and hopefully rise above such meanness with a stronger sense of self and confidence.