Bullying comes in many different forms, from cyber bulling to physical bullying. Bullying has a real negative effect on the victim's life. Those who are constantly bullied can be pushed to the breaking point, where they could end up hurting themselves or others.
Why do students bully their class mates? I believe students bully other because they are insecure and lack confidence. They use bullying tactics to impress other students. Bullies thrive on attention they get from their fellow classmates. Their hurtful actions make them feel powerful and popular. Bullies pick on students who they think are weak in physical stature, unpopular with their peers, easily intimated, or discriminated against.
Bullying occurs on a regular basis in many schools. It's usually started by the same person or a ring leader who gets a few other students to join in on the bullying. Unfortunately, the majority of students are spectators who act like the "peanut gallery laughing out loud or snickering behind the victim's back. The "peanut gallery " may not directly bully the victim, but by standing on the sidelines giving their attention to the actions they encourage they bully. Even though I am not a bully, I have been part of the "peanut gallery " that makes bullying an even worse situation. The "peanut gallery " are students that can make a positive change to stop bullying.
As students, we can take action to stop bullying in our schools and I have some ideas to make this happen. I and a group of students would dedicate one week at the beginning of the school year to hold an anti-bullying campaign called "Bully Beatdown." The "Bully Beatdown"" campaign would raise awareness to the issues of bullying. For the campaign kick-off, I would hold a rally for students to share their personal stories and experience with bullying. I would invite a counselor or a psychologist specializing in anti-social behavior to speak at the rally about the effects of bullying.
