Schools should not take offense lightly
Lombardy Elementary School accidentally sent a satirical form called the ‘Hurt Feeling Report’ making fun of whiners to parents, according to USA Today.
The article said the document is set up similar to a bullying report form. The school has claimed that the document is not from the school or the district and came from an external source.
Whether or not the document is an official form or originated from the school, questions have arisen about the schools response to bullying.
We The Threefold Advocate believe that bullying needs to be taken seriously by all schools, and children should not be mocked by authorities for taking action.
The government has defined bullying as “unwanted, aggressive behavior among school-aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time.”
It also lists multiple side effects of bullying including decreased academic achievement, health complaints and depression.
Bullies are also affected by their actions. Some of the side affects of bullying include alcohol abuse, problems in school, criminal convictions and future abuse towards “their romantic partners, spouses, or children as adults,” according to the U.S. government. “Bullying also affects bystanders. Students who watch bullying are more likely to use drugs, have mental health problems and miss school.”
With all of these potential problems for students We The Threefold Advocate believe that bullying is not a laughing matter.
Some may point out that this document did not originate from the school and is, therefore, not a big deal. However, the government says that “when adults respond quickly and consistently to bullying behavior, they send the message that it is not acceptable. Research shows this can stop bullying behavior over time. ”
This situation shows that adults’ response to bullying is very important and affects the way children view these situations.
We The Threefold Advocate believe the school should do more than apologize and investigate how this document was sent out. They should also make sure that all students feel safe and bullying is dealt with properly.