Faith Meets Life: Stopping bullies in their tracks
When my family moved to the outskirts of Hamilton, Ontario, I was 10 years old. I entered a rural school feeling very insecure. Within weeks, maybe days, some of the established bullies in the school had me pegged as one of their victims. For a number of years I lived with a constant fear of being chased or punched, at the same time, craving to be accepted. Several times I was punched in the stomach by the leader, “Ricky,” without any provocation from me.
These memories come back to me now when I drive by Central King's High School in Cambridge, Nova Scotia. Recently the school has had its fifteen minutes of fame, maybe even twenty or thirty. Last month, as you probably know, a group of students began to bully a new student, ridiculing him for wearing a pink shirt.
Likely to the great surprise of the bullies, other students turned on them. Two student leaders, David Shepherd and Travis Price, bought 75 pink tank tops and persuaded other students to wear them. In a short time, about half of the 830 students were wearing pink.
According to students, the bullies themselves became angry with the “sea of pink” and threw a tantrum in the cafeteria.
Since that time countless bloggers and media writers have been praising the actions of the Central King's student body. Aside from the heart warming support shown for the victim, there was an element of poetic, elegant retribution that did not go unnoticed. The bullies became the bullied, though in a milder, clever, non-violent, and therefore, commendable, way.
There is a lot there to commend. And I wish that David and Travis had been in my Grade Five class many years ago.
I wonder though, is there another step that can be taken? It does seem easy to write off the bullies. We're no longer interested in them. Let them languish in their corner of the cafeteria, marinating in their own anger if that's their choice.
It seems to me that bullies, and offenders of all kinds, need to be confronted with the damage they do, an “intervention” so to speak. Recently, at a meeting of Catholic students and others, I met someone involved in the Restorative Justice movement. They told me that the movement here in Nova Scotia works hand-in-hand with the justice system. Judges here are required to examine possible alternative measures before sentencing a young person to more conventional punishments.
The aim of Restorative Justice is not punishment, but the restoration of both the offender and the victim. Typically this restoration is attempted through a meeting where both are present to hear each other out, moderated by intermediaries. Parents and guardians are often involved. When it works well, the offender comes to understand the reality of what they've done and all the parties agree to a suitable punishment. That often involves community service and repayment by the offender for damaged property.
I have no idea what happened to “Ricky,” but if his ways never did change, he might have graduated to other levels of abuse. I wonder what would have happened if he and his guardians had been confronted by a Restorative Justice worker and my parents. Maybe I would have had a much better childhood. Maybe he would have too.
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
These memories come back to me now when I drive by Central King's High School in Cambridge, Nova Scotia. Recently the school has had its fifteen minutes of fame, maybe even twenty or thirty. Last month, as you probably know, a group of students began to bully a new student, ridiculing him for wearing a pink shirt.
Likely to the great surprise of the bullies, other students turned on them. Two student leaders, David Shepherd and Travis Price, bought 75 pink tank tops and persuaded other students to wear them. In a short time, about half of the 830 students were wearing pink.
According to students, the bullies themselves became angry with the “sea of pink” and threw a tantrum in the cafeteria.
Since that time countless bloggers and media writers have been praising the actions of the Central King's student body. Aside from the heart warming support shown for the victim, there was an element of poetic, elegant retribution that did not go unnoticed. The bullies became the bullied, though in a milder, clever, non-violent, and therefore, commendable, way.
There is a lot there to commend. And I wish that David and Travis had been in my Grade Five class many years ago.
I wonder though, is there another step that can be taken? It does seem easy to write off the bullies. We're no longer interested in them. Let them languish in their corner of the cafeteria, marinating in their own anger if that's their choice.
It seems to me that bullies, and offenders of all kinds, need to be confronted with the damage they do, an “intervention” so to speak. Recently, at a meeting of Catholic students and others, I met someone involved in the Restorative Justice movement. They told me that the movement here in Nova Scotia works hand-in-hand with the justice system. Judges here are required to examine possible alternative measures before sentencing a young person to more conventional punishments.
The aim of Restorative Justice is not punishment, but the restoration of both the offender and the victim. Typically this restoration is attempted through a meeting where both are present to hear each other out, moderated by intermediaries. Parents and guardians are often involved. When it works well, the offender comes to understand the reality of what they've done and all the parties agree to a suitable punishment. That often involves community service and repayment by the offender for damaged property.
I have no idea what happened to “Ricky,” but if his ways never did change, he might have graduated to other levels of abuse. I wonder what would have happened if he and his guardians had been confronted by a Restorative Justice worker and my parents. Maybe I would have had a much better childhood. Maybe he would have too.
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
