Fight Bullying

     Here in Rural Retreat, we try to prevent bullying. Most people think that bullying might only be prominent in elementary and middle schools, but in reality bullying can happen to anybody at any age. Even after someone gets out of high school, he/she could still be bullied by someone. According to StopBullying.gov, bullying is unwanted and aggressive behavior towards someone that often contains an imbalance of power. This imbalance doesn't have to be physical, but if someone believes he/she is not as important as everyone else, then this, too, could be an imbalance.

     Bullying doesn't have to be physical, which is what most people perceive as bullying. If someone is purposely excluded from a group, then this is bullying. Adults as well as students at any level can agree there are people who are excluded. High schools can be divided into groups and cliques. Everyone fits into their own group of friends, and some people are excluded on purpose. This bullying can be hard to spot because it doesn't involve name-calling or physical contact. Exclusion can be completely overlooked by teachers and students in school.

     It isn't enough to say “Stop Bullying.” Sometimes, bullying is hard to pick out, and since it is so easy to bully someone, bullying can’t simply be stopped. Bullying will always be a problem no matter how hard we try to prevent it. We need to stand up to bullying, because no one deserves to feel any less important than anyone else. The one being bullied will rarely stand up for him or herself, so we need to try to help them. If you see someone being excluded, you can decide to befriend them. Sometimes, watching someone being mistreated can be just as bad as mistreating them yourself. That is why we must do everything in our ability to make everyone feel like they are worth something. Only then can these people get a fair chance at life.

     The golden rule is something we can all live by: treat others the way you want to be treated. It is only fair to do so; no one deserves to be bullied, whether it is exclusion, verbal abuse, or physical contact.

-Dylan Crigger