Originally Posted by Hawk13

Totally agree. Spouting off about the courts getting them is a waste of time. We deal with murderers, rapists, etc. this way and it still happens.

I have two teenage daughters and we all sat down and watched the Youtube vid then had a discussion. Was a very interesting discussion and both my kids are very aware of bullying (in person and on the internet) and making fun of people 'cus they are perceived as different.

One of my oldest daughters close male friends took his life two years ago and it still affects both my kids as they try to understand why. According to my kid, he wasn't bullied, always seemed to be happy at school and when they hung out as a group. Took everyone by surprise and his reason for ending it all was simply they he didn't like his life, didn't see a future and didn't want to go on. He hung himself. Nobody saw it coming.

For what it's worth, both my girls main comments were: she moved several times so why did it always happen in different surroundings? and the Facebook account thing - why not shutdown your Facebook account and start a new one even use a different name if you need or don't even bother with Facebook account. As expected, they were both pretty emotional but that you can't always blame others for how you feel and if I want things to change, you have the power to change things.

I couldn't have said it any better than Jingsamichty's comments. Educate your kids on how to deal with it 'cus you can't stop it or sweep it under the rug.

Originally Posted by bats

Some people are more likely to be bullied. It doesn't make them weak, or that it's their fault.

Originally Posted by Jingsamichty

Bullies are a part of life, and bullying is a part of human nature. We are NOT all the same. We need to teach kids how to properly deal with bullies, not just spout empty platitudes like "bullying must stop".

A child who grows into an adult unable to recognise and deal with a bully has been failed.

Originally Posted by ExKiwilass

How would u teach a child to deal with it? I'm curious because mine has reached the age when it starts.

Originally Posted by Jingsamichty

What age is that? I didn't realise there was an age to start.

Originally Posted by Tangram

It starts when kids can talk.

Originally Posted by Oink

There was some trouble on VI a few years back when some kids took the Kick-a-Ginger Day too literally and some ginger kid got kicked over 80 times that day. Of course instead of dealing with it in an appropriate manner, the school/district and typically for Canadians, over reacted and called in the RCMP hate crime division.

Originally Posted by Hawk13

That's true and it's part of life. Call it what you want but it does make them weak or they wouldn't get bullied. Their fault? maybe maybe not. You move to a brand new place where no one knows you and it happens again? Would it happen again and again no matter where you moved to? Doesn't mean that someone shouldn't have helped the girl. Bullies always pick out the weak that's why they are bullies.

There always has been bullies and there always will be - no matter what rules, laws, penalties you want the court to put in place. You get a life sentence for murder but it still happens.

For me and mine, it comes down to how you were raised and taught to deal with certain situations. As a parent and the internet, it's tougher now because you can be bullied or tormented 24/7 if you choose to sit on your computer.

You can make all the rules and penalties you want (we have lots already in schools and in the workplace) but it won't make a difference - bullying still happens. It's how you deal with it when it happens that makes the difference.

Originally Posted by bats

it sounds to me as if you are blaming the person who is bullied. For being weak, for not dealing with it.

Instead of joining in or standing by while the new kid/employee is being hassled people need to do something. Make the new person feel included, don't support the perennial bully's behaviour. Don't laugh at their jokes at other people's expense. It isn't teasing, it's bullying.

Originally Posted by ultrarunner

It seems to be going a lot more these days, and something has to be done to stop it ASAP. It takes a village to raise a kid....the teachers can't do it all at school, the parents have to play an integral part in all this and make it their duty to speak to their kids more about bullying amongst other things

Another innocent soul lost

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...rticle4607133/

Originally Posted by Zen10

Easy solution.

1. School gets evidence of bullying.
2. School informs bully and bully's parents that if one more incident occur, whether in or out of school, cyber or real-life, bully will be permanently excluded from every school in the province.
3. If bullying persist the matter is passed to the police, whereupon the bully is made to work for nothing cleaning toilets 40 hours per week for a year every time he bullies someone.

This would stop bullying in under a year. Remember, people who get away with bullying in school are essentially being trained to bully people in adult life where it is harder to condition them out of learned behaviour.

Originally Posted by Oink

Make the bully wear a ginger wig that way he'll know what it feels like when he gets kicked all day long.

Originally Posted by Oink

I don't remember much bullying when I was at school. Maybe a few of the really smelly kids got taunted but thats their parents fault.

Originally Posted by Zen10

I presume you don't have kids. If you did, and they got treated like the girl in this story, I'm guessing your man-about-town light entertainment attitude to it would evaporate fast.