By: Anish Koka
It was a sunny morning. I had just finished the second period when I got called into the principal’s office. I walked across the hall and took a quick right as I turned onwards to the principal office. I was almost in tears as a subtle but ever-present rage built up inside me. I headed inside and immediately saw my bully.
He often forced me to do his homework saying that he would beat me up if I didn’t. I would spend a lot longer doing my homework and often couldn’t do my own. I realized that this couldn’t go on and let the principal know about the situation.
Peering over at the angry look of my bully, I hoped and prayed that the bully would be put to justice before he could do anything to my going forward.
The principal started off by asking the bully some questions such as how he knew me and if there was something that he needed to tell me. For 20 minutes I heard the bully talking about how it was all just a joke and that he thought he was just playing around. We ended up apologizing to each other. He bullied me for two more months before he moved to a new school. Nothing was solved.
This is a recurring problem in school systems throughout the United States. As more and more restrictions to punishments to suspension and detention are coming, more and more students are being let off the hook. This actually promotes the behavior, making it apparent to the bully that he or she can get away with the behavior. Over time the behavior will continue and be considered normal.
Over 66% of teachers are reporting more and more misbehavior as time goes on and students go undisciplined. The problem is too few teachers or faculty are qualified or trained to properly deal with disciplining students.
One solution is to make it known throughout the school that bullying will not be tolerated and that there will be consequences for the behavior. There should be regular warnings about bullying at school assemblies, morning announcements, and events. This will not only unite the whole school but could help prevent bullying.
It is important to support teachers and encourage them to insist on proper behavior in school. Teachers must be clear and consistent in their instructions and discipline. As children grow, many find it important to fit in with their peers. But a positive environment will ensure most students behave and discourage troublemakers.
It is crucial for teachers to properly address bullying with firm discipline. But the punishment should fit the crime, no more and no less.
It is important for teachers to not be swayed by the bully’s excuses for his behavior. Emotion should not be involved in the process. The bully might say, “It was just a joke,” or‚ ”I didn’t mean any harm.” But the authority should be unmoved. If the principal gets affected by the words of the student, the student will see he can manipulate the situation and get away with bad behavior.
After the punishment is given out, the principal should have an honest discussion with everyone involved about what happened and let them talk through their feelings. This could allow the problem to be fully resolved. The teacher should explain to the bully why his actions were wrong and why he was punished. The bully just might learn valuable life lessons about respecting others.
Hopefully, American schools will start to take bullying seriously. Schools should be a safe environment for everyone to learn, free from the threat of bullies.
Anish Koka is a student at Cumberland Valley who participated in the 2024 Summer Internship and Enrichment Program of the World Affairs Council of Harrisburg and PennLive. Read the article on PennLive.
