Bullying

Chandler and Brielle; kids taken too soon by their own choice, or was it? Not only in recent weeks has the CRCSD experienced loss, but in years past as well. In light of these recurring events, I pose the question of ‘why are we as students and staff of one of the largest districts in the state not stepping in and taking the lead?’

              One of the more frustrating aspects of such loss is the piece that I believe adults and teachers push aside most often, is being able to openly have a discussion and say what you’re thinking because as cliché as it sounds, no one was prepared for this. I think that teachers and adults should be able to tell us what’s happening honestly without the fluff of worrying about what irrelevant high schoolers will then gossip about in between classes. Action needs to be taken and if the so called leaders of the school and school district can’t how are the tiny people like me supposed to make an impact alone.

              Some advice that I think everyone should have is be sad, and grieve because even though you didn’t know Chandler, or Brielle, or Payton for that matter, everyone has a right to be feel something towards these kids. Another thing that I think adults should be aware of is that kids talk, and really know what’s going on via social media, the tall kids walking in front of you, and the gossip girls by the water fountain, with that said, sugar coating what is actually happening is part of the problem. The reason I believe that we have a right to know and understand is because whether or not you knew them, they were you; inform us when it affects us.  Those kids had their entire lives ahead of them, they were young and full of life and now they’re gone, but teachers think it’s best to keep everything on the ‘D.L’ and that has YET to resolve this epidemic. If students like Brielle and Chandler had a chance to be talked to about what they were feeling and felt like they had some confidence in their teachers or peers maybe they’d still be here. As much as parents and teachers feel it’s their responsibility to shield us from tragedy, it’s also their responsibility then to explain to us what it is, and let us know it’s okay to feel like that but everyone needs someone to talk to, and if you can’t talk to a teacher or an adult in your life, you as adults cannot expect change.

              If you want something changed I’ve learned you have to go and do it yourself, and if you want something said and done about this “touchy subject” start talking. In elementary school I remember being talked to about bullying and how it was wrong, I even remember having class discussions about it, but as I’ve grown older these talks have become non-existent. Now why would these talks end when in reality those problems were only the beginning? Middle school the holy grail of bullying and degrading, high school is a thunder dome of self-shaming, and peer pressure, but yet we don’t get talked to , or for that matter even feel comfortable speaking on the subject. The thought of those kids who are gone feeling absolutely helpless puts a pit in my stomach knowing that they felt they had no other choice, and no one to talk to or even talk about this with is absolutely a fault in our system.