Editorial
Bullying should be relegated to bad old days
With educators, staff, parents and other school community stakeholders doing more and more these days to make schools bullying free, the time may soon come when student-on-student abuse will be all but unheard of.
Until then, parents and other caregivers everywhere should make an effort at this time of year to ensure they know what to do when bullying occurs, whether their child is a victim or a perpetrator.
Acknowledging that bullying is, sadly, still a factor in the province's schools, Alberta Health has come out with a worthwhile new campaign that is encouraging adults to make themselves aware of the signs of bullying and learn what to do about it.
“Bullying does not have to be physical for a child to be deeply hurt,” said Health Minister Gene Zwozdesky. “Name-calling, threats, mean-spirited gossip, and cruel jokes can all harm a child's sense of security and self-esteem.”
Research has shown that when a child is bullied, he or she may actually be afraid to tell a parent or caregiver about the abuse. With that in mind, knowing how to identify the signs of possible bullying and teasing is one of the first and most important steps in fighting it.
Alberta Health says those bullying signs may include the child not wanting to go to school, asking to go to school late or come home early, saying he or she has a headache or stomach ache, having things the child owns go missing, and being unable to concentrate on school work or other activities.
“If your child tells you she is being bullied or teased, believe her and listen carefully to what she says,” he said.
If you find out that your child is the one who is bullying and teasing other children, it is important that you take immediate corrective action since bullying can tend to increase in severity over time.
“Punishment for bullying is likely only going to create more problems,” he said. “Instead, make sure your child apologizes to the bullied child and arrange for her to fix or replace what she has destroyed. Make sure your child knows you are there for them. Be clear that you will not fix the problem for them, but you will help them make things right.”
Every new school year brings the promise of new and exciting learning opportunities, with technology making the learning environment of today more advanced than ever before, pointing the way to a bright future.
At the same time, parents and other caregivers in West Central Alberta are encouraged to help make school bullying a thing of the past.
