April 23, 2007
On 'What to do if your child is bullied':
I find the suggestions of The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry close to useless if school authorities in our own academic institutions view bullying no more than a solitary experiment on toughening up oneself, with little to no regard for a 'cry for help' (see my last post). But then again, there could at least be one caring adult on campus, right? But that would depend on how much protection they can offer when it comes to giving guidance to a bullied child.
Of course, assertiveness on the part of the bullied student in encountering THE BULLY is encouraged. But it's one thing to be assertive and another to be totally lacking in supervision. Obviously, bullied kids can't do without supervision, and they should also keep in mind that it's not a sissy thing to ask for help.
Anger management issues should definitely be addressed. Ongoing bullying can leave a person angry at the world and with his/her surroundings, and I don't think it's a secret that many who have found themselves relegated to loner status have had fantasies of blowing up their high school with their classmates in it. No one's been stupid enough to pack heat just yet, so maybe they can still save themselves - just not with a noose. The sad part is that our schools don't have programs to combat bullying, nor do they offer conflict resolution or anger management training.
Also, these tips assume that children who undergo bullying can always find solace in the company of others in order to avoid contact with THE BULLY. But what if they don't have friends in school to begin with?
Other related stories on bullying and current events which affect our national psyche, also from the PDI:
RJD's first-hand account of VA Tech is actually close to home (her nephew is currently studying at VA Tech). She thinks an incident likes this can occur "anywhere where guns are so easy to get." (That means Manila, too.)
Neal Cruz views the likelihood of a school shooting to happen here as "not far off".
More on how guns are acquired in the Philippines (also from Neal Cruz's commentary):
Non-PDI-related: Sassy Lawyer waxes analytical in her context-heavy post on "the right to bear arms", and why it backfired from its intended objective.
I find the suggestions of The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry close to useless if school authorities in our own academic institutions view bullying no more than a solitary experiment on toughening up oneself, with little to no regard for a 'cry for help' (see my last post). But then again, there could at least be one caring adult on campus, right? But that would depend on how much protection they can offer when it comes to giving guidance to a bullied child.
Of course, assertiveness on the part of the bullied student in encountering THE BULLY is encouraged. But it's one thing to be assertive and another to be totally lacking in supervision. Obviously, bullied kids can't do without supervision, and they should also keep in mind that it's not a sissy thing to ask for help.
Anger management issues should definitely be addressed. Ongoing bullying can leave a person angry at the world and with his/her surroundings, and I don't think it's a secret that many who have found themselves relegated to loner status have had fantasies of blowing up their high school with their classmates in it. No one's been stupid enough to pack heat just yet, so maybe they can still save themselves - just not with a noose. The sad part is that our schools don't have programs to combat bullying, nor do they offer conflict resolution or anger management training.
Also, these tips assume that children who undergo bullying can always find solace in the company of others in order to avoid contact with THE BULLY. But what if they don't have friends in school to begin with?
Other related stories on bullying and current events which affect our national psyche, also from the PDI:
RJD's first-hand account of VA Tech is actually close to home (her nephew is currently studying at VA Tech). She thinks an incident likes this can occur "anywhere where guns are so easy to get." (That means Manila, too.)
Neal Cruz views the likelihood of a school shooting to happen here as "not far off".
The United States may hold the world record for school shootings, but we hold the record for extra-judicial killings and the murders of journalists. And this year, the Philippines may set another record for election-related killings. The United States and the Philippines share a common cause for the mass murders: the ease with which people get hold of guns because they both have no effective gun control laws.
More on how guns are acquired in the Philippines (also from Neal Cruz's commentary):
Those in the Philippines who cannot legally acquire guns can get them illegally from the black market, too. There are many loose handguns, assault rifles and ammunition being sold, some by policemen and soldiers themselves. We even have a whole city engaged in the illegal manufacture of firearms. Although this is clearly illegal, the Arroyo administration doesn't do anything to stop it. On the contrary, it has made illegal gun manufacture a tourist attraction and is promoting guns as products for export.
Non-PDI-related: Sassy Lawyer waxes analytical in her context-heavy post on "the right to bear arms", and why it backfired from its intended objective.
hi claire, i'm bebe go, a 2nd year film student from UP Diliman. i'm planning to make a film about a fictional riot grrrl band and i'd really love to talk to you, if you're not too busy. :D there are a lot of questions i'd like to ask about feminism and i figured you'd be the perfect person to talk to since not only do you write zines(i just recently bought a copy of OWN! and i love it!) but you're also very knowledgeable about pop culture. well, hopefully, you'll get to read this. thanks!