Words Can Hurt

Miara Bonner

Do bullies bully because they are bullied? As a young person, I have experienced bullying first hand. In middle school, I was picked on due to my intelligence and choice of clothing. As a result, I experienced severe depression and anxiety. It is essential that bullying is discussed in schools. Contrary to popular belief that bullying is an important subject, some people believe that bullying can build character and increase awareness throughout small cities. Bullying should be discussed in schools in order to decrease the amount of teen suicides due to bullying throughout the country and raise awareness to children, teens, and adults.

Initially, bullying should be discussed in schools because it impacts one’s academic adjustment and achievement. Studies show that 11.9% of boys and 13.4% of girls were bullied by someone at their school. According to statistics reported by ABC News, nearly 30 percent of students are either bullies or victims of bullying, and 160,000 kids stay home from school every day because of fear of bullying. The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development states, “Students who are bullied are more likely to feel disconnected from school, not like school, and have lower academic outcomes, including lower attendance and completion rates.” Although students may be the bully or the person bullied, everyone should be able to know the short and long term effects of bullying and how bullying can affect how a person learns and socializes in an educational environment. Schools should provide mandatory classes based on the negative impacts of bullying. Throughout the year, the class should cover all of the criteria such as, the definition of bullying, the different types of bullying, how bullying negatively affects teens, and the consequences of bullying. Creating this class will decrease the number of cases within schools due to bullying and increase academic performance and success. The class should provide at home assignments that review the criteria covered, giving each child the chance to discuss what they learned in class with their families. Students should feel comfortable being able to speak to their peers about bullying and discuss ways that bullying can be stopped.

Secondly, bullying should be discussed in schools because it affects the victim and the victim’s family. The U.S. Health Behavior in School Aged Children’s Surveys mention the negative effects of bullying as mental distress, poor academic adjustment, and reduced social interaction in victims and victim’s families. Bullies never think about how their actions can lead to emotional distress causing victims and their families to become more distant and secretive within their own household. Bullying can cause lack of trust, irritability, self-doubt, overprotectiveness, withdrawal, and anxiety. Families should provide love and support to show that they care and that they are there for the victim in their time of need. Parents of students that are victims should stop bullying at schools immediately before a simple case of bullying turns into a suicide case. Discussing bullying in schools will bring awareness to the effect of bullying on families as well as students. As a result, families will obtain a clearer understanding of the impacts of bullying on families and will gain knowledge on how to help their loved ones, repairing family relationships.

Lastly, bullying should be discussed in schools because it affects victims mentally and emotionally. Bullying can cause increased feelings of sadness and loneliness (http://www.stopbullying.gov/at-risk/effects). The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services mention that youth who are victims of bullying have a higher chance of agoraphobia, anxiety, and panic disorder and are at risk for antisocial personality disorder. Bullies are not aware of these consequences. They do not consider how bullying can cause mental illness or emotional distress leading to self-mutilation and suicide. Bully victims are between two to nine times more likely to consider suicide than non-victims, according to studies by Yale University. A study in Britain found that at least half of suicides among young people are related to bullying Therefore, they bully until it is too late to save the victim. These feelings of sadness and risks of mental disorders can eventually lead to suicide which can affect a whole city.

All in all, bullying should be discussed in order to increase the awareness of the consequences of bullying among students, parents, and teachers. Schools should teach effective ways to end bullying and handle bullying among students. Being able to understand how these classes can make a large impact on many lives will influence those who have not experienced bullying to make a change within their schools and communities. Together, we can make a change around the world to end the hurt and sadness of these victims and their families, increasing the peace and the hope.