Culture Needs to Change on Bullying
Published in The Daily Courier
December 20, 2012 |
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Last week, 27 lives were taken from their families and friends in Newtown, Connecticut, including 20 children and six staff who were shot in their school.
This shocking incident took place at Sandy Hook Elementary School - a place that is meant to be special and safe, for students to learn and grow, to build a caring community, and to shape our collective future.
School is a place of work, of professionalism, and of appreciation for the magnitude of the responsibility incumbent with educating each generation. It is a place we have all experienced and it is incomprehensible when schools become a place of aggression and violence.
In light of this horrific tragedy, I paused to reflect on the fragility of life and the community we are creating within our own circles of influence. I also reflected on the forms of aggression and violence that are present in our communities every day.
On Oct. 10, 15-year old Amanda Todd from Port Coquitlam took her own life after suffering two years of cyberstalking, harassment and bullying.
She left a video documenting her personal torment and fear that both shocked and informed the world about her experience with aggression and violence in her school.
Although bullying has been on the public policy radar for some time, Amanda's story jolted our communities with a new sense of urgency to do something about it.
Her untimely death caused us to raise awareness in British Columbia and around the world about bullying, our capacity to deal with it, and created a deeper understanding of the damage and pain that it creates.
Bullying is not just a schoolyard issue. It is present in our workplaces, community groups, politics and all forms of social engagement. It is a complex issue that causes immeasurable pain and suffering - with personal, financial and societal costs. Worse yet, those who engage in bullying are all too often rewarded.
I think that much is reflected about our shared values by our responses to these situations of aggression and violence.
Premier Christy Clark has been an outspoken advocate for anti-bullying initiatives. She recently announced a comprehensive strategy to help prevent, identify and stop harmful behaviour perpetrated by children and adults online, at school and in our communities.
Bullying (Expect Respect And a Safe Education) is the first province-wide co-ordinated anti-bullying strategy that provides students with the channels and resources to anonymously report incidents of bullying by peers or adults.
Initiatives such as this one are an important first step that government can facilitate. It is part of an attempt to affect a culture change in our schools and in our communities.
We need to build and sustain a culture of kindness, caring, and respect. It is unconscionable that some of our children and co-workers leave their homes everyday fearing for their safety and worrying about the next round of abuse.
While government has an important role to respond through public policy, each of us has a personal responsibility to change these situations as well. We have the ability to manage our own behaviour, to safeguard and practice our values and to respectfully protect those at risk.
In this Christmas season, we all experience a special kindness and compassion for our fellow citizens. We also all experience a different reality when the specialness of Christmas ebbs.
It is our challenge to sustain this sense of community, this generosity of spirit, and this awareness of our neighbours who are facing serious challenges everyday of the year.
It is important to preserve and live in the Christmas spirit throughout the year. It is the culture change we need to address the aggression and violence that has resulted in so much sadness and tragic loss this year. 2013 can be different.
And that, for me, is The Bottom Line.
This shocking incident took place at Sandy Hook Elementary School - a place that is meant to be special and safe, for students to learn and grow, to build a caring community, and to shape our collective future.
School is a place of work, of professionalism, and of appreciation for the magnitude of the responsibility incumbent with educating each generation. It is a place we have all experienced and it is incomprehensible when schools become a place of aggression and violence.
In light of this horrific tragedy, I paused to reflect on the fragility of life and the community we are creating within our own circles of influence. I also reflected on the forms of aggression and violence that are present in our communities every day.
On Oct. 10, 15-year old Amanda Todd from Port Coquitlam took her own life after suffering two years of cyberstalking, harassment and bullying.
She left a video documenting her personal torment and fear that both shocked and informed the world about her experience with aggression and violence in her school.
Although bullying has been on the public policy radar for some time, Amanda's story jolted our communities with a new sense of urgency to do something about it.
Her untimely death caused us to raise awareness in British Columbia and around the world about bullying, our capacity to deal with it, and created a deeper understanding of the damage and pain that it creates.
Bullying is not just a schoolyard issue. It is present in our workplaces, community groups, politics and all forms of social engagement. It is a complex issue that causes immeasurable pain and suffering - with personal, financial and societal costs. Worse yet, those who engage in bullying are all too often rewarded.
I think that much is reflected about our shared values by our responses to these situations of aggression and violence.
Premier Christy Clark has been an outspoken advocate for anti-bullying initiatives. She recently announced a comprehensive strategy to help prevent, identify and stop harmful behaviour perpetrated by children and adults online, at school and in our communities.
Bullying (Expect Respect And a Safe Education) is the first province-wide co-ordinated anti-bullying strategy that provides students with the channels and resources to anonymously report incidents of bullying by peers or adults.
Initiatives such as this one are an important first step that government can facilitate. It is part of an attempt to affect a culture change in our schools and in our communities.
We need to build and sustain a culture of kindness, caring, and respect. It is unconscionable that some of our children and co-workers leave their homes everyday fearing for their safety and worrying about the next round of abuse.
While government has an important role to respond through public policy, each of us has a personal responsibility to change these situations as well. We have the ability to manage our own behaviour, to safeguard and practice our values and to respectfully protect those at risk.
In this Christmas season, we all experience a special kindness and compassion for our fellow citizens. We also all experience a different reality when the specialness of Christmas ebbs.
It is our challenge to sustain this sense of community, this generosity of spirit, and this awareness of our neighbours who are facing serious challenges everyday of the year.
It is important to preserve and live in the Christmas spirit throughout the year. It is the culture change we need to address the aggression and violence that has resulted in so much sadness and tragic loss this year. 2013 can be different.
And that, for me, is The Bottom Line.