Bullying: Let's Eliminate It Now

Bullying: Let's Eliminate it Now

Charles Andrew Williams, a 15-year-old high school freshman, brought a gun to school. He shot and killed two schoolmates and wounded 13 more as well as several adults. Friends said he was constantly picked on because he was so skinny. Some of the students would call him 'Anorexic Andy.' A acquainted teen admitted, "We abused him pretty much, I mean verbally." (Coloroso).

Many kids may not think that their actions could be considered bullying, and half of them do not realize how harshly they treat their peers. What may simply be just "joking around" to one kid, may be considered bullying to another, and they may not even realize the effects that they have on that child who feels he/she is the victim.

There are many causes to bullying and school violence and many effects as well. However, if dealt with properly, there are ways to solve these problems. According to (Garrett 2), bullying is defined as "not just child's play, but a terrifying experience many schoolchildren face everyday. It can be as direct as teasing, hitting or threatening, or as indirect as exclusions, rumors or manipulation." Garrett also stated that "One in seven children is a bully or the target of a bully, according to the National Association of School Psychologists." Since these numbers are so high it is imperative that society understands what causes this much bullying to occur.

It seems one of the biggest causes of bullying has been the influence of the media on children. "Countless studies have determined that there is an irrefutable link between violence in the media and violent behavior in children, argues former secretary of education William J. Bennett" (Grapes57). Many of today's television shows and movies show violence in school. For example, the popular television show "South Park" often satirically presents issues dealing with violence, but by doing so comically, they make it seem "acceptable" instead of warning against it. However, television isn't only to blame. Music is also a powerful influence, and considering that much of the music is dark and mournful, it is no surprise that it has a negative effect on its listeners. Other ways in which pop culture "for most kids...works as a coarsener, desensitizer, and dehumanizer" is through video games and the Internet. (Grapes 60). Kids are being subjected to these forms of media because it becomes almost impossible them to avoid growing up in today's society.

Another big cause that is said to have led to school violence is the availability of weapons. "We have to accept the reality that violence is part of the human condition and sometimes snaps in inexplicable and chaotic ways, and that despite this, the United States---alone among Western industrial societies--lets its population have open access to guns" (Grapes 69). If it is this easy for parents to obtain guns, then unfortunately, it is just that easy for children to get a hold of them. "A parent does not possess the ability to design and manufacture a kid-proof gun or mandate the use of the latest fingerprint-recognition technology" (Grapes 71). Therefore, it seems that the government must be held accountable for this cause of violence. So, society must become responsible for changing these unsafe ways of living.

When a child is bullied, not only does it affect that child, but it also has consequences for the bully as well. The bully will not suffer from any initial consequences, but will eventually suffer from long-term consequences. According to Garrett, "The lifelong outlook for bullies is not good. If bullies don't learn how to change behavior, the pattern of bullying behavior often becomes a habit as the bully gets older" (Garrett 74). They may become aggressive adults and have a high chance of attaining criminal convictions among other things as well.

For the victim, bullying can cause physical, academic, social, and psychological problems. According to Garrett, it can also cause continual emotional stress which can create deficits in a child's intellectual abilities, crippling the child's capacity to learn. A child always under stress will be robbed of his or potential. One's grades may decline because his/her attention