Bullying: Who you gonna call?

If there's something strange in your neighborhood
Who ya gonna call?   If there's something weird and it don't look good? Who ya gonna call? 

Most people may not be afraid of ghosts but many are afraid of bullies. Bullies have  power and intimidate their victims. Lately, I've been monitoring the lunchroom line. Its my school duty. So, lunchline duty, a coversation with a friend, and social media got me thinking about bullying. Why is it so prevalent.

 It starts with stupid cliches such as, " sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt." Or better yet, "he's (she's) only a kid."-- What does that mean anyway? Because they are young, their words lack stinging power?

Add on that society acts as if its only children that bully. Where do you think these children learn how to bully? ADULTS!!! I remember when they started the OLWEUS Bullying Prevention Program in Hillsborough County Schools, one of my questions was (which still hasn't been answered) what do you do when the adults are the bullies; not to students but to their colleagues? I have come to the conclusion that bullying is embedded in the culture but we blame the victim not the perpetrator.

Case in point,  two weeks ago, I read an article about FAMU filing to have the lawsuit in Robert Champion's case dropped because it was his fault.

"Oh, really?" Silly me, I thought the young man went to school to earn a degree and play for The Illustrious Marching 100, not be (BULLIED) for doing something he loved. Of course, he was going to let them haze him!!! Its part of the culture!!! If he had said no, he would not have been played.Why didn't he tell an adult, you ask? BECAUSE THE ADULTS ALREADY KNEW. Its been going on for YEARS!!! *please note this is not a post to bash FAMU. Hazing happens in many organizations at various colleges and universities. In my opinion, IT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE ON ANY CAMPUS.*

Next, we move to the case of the elderly woman that was riding the bus and the kids were verbally taunting her.  -In this case the 4 teenagers were suspended for a year. 

Finally, I move to the case I recently heard on the news. This is the case in which a mother went to confront a child about bullying her son. The child became disrespectful, the mother smushed him in the face. Now she faces child abuse & trespassing on school property charges. As I'm listening to this story, the question I asked myself was, " what did the bully's parent(s) have to say?" -still waiting on that response.

When you are afraid to report the bully, what do you do? When you tell your mom (or some other adult) about the bully, and your mother notifies the proper authority but nothing happens, what are you suppose to do? When your parent talks to the other parent who blows him/her off, how are you suppose to respond? I don't know the proper answer to my questions. However, I do know that when you leave people helpless and backed against the wall, ESPECIALLY when it comes to their child(ren), you can expect them to retaliate.