When is bullying, not bullying? When the Principal of your 5th grade daughter's elementary school tells you it's not. Pardon me, I have to respectfully disagree. I know the 'tween' years are difficult; for students, parents, teachers and school administrators alike. There has got to be a unified effort between home and school.
When a student has been repeatedly excluded, verbally put down and purposely left out of recess/classroom groups for three years, it's bullying. The offending student has gone so far as telling other classmates and students to not be friends with the other student. Notes get passed around the classroom, by the offending student, with statements like: you don't deserve her as a friend, she's not good enough of a friend for you. Is this physical bullying? No. Is this verbal bullying? Is this social bullying? Yes! In my opinion, and based on what I've read and heard - this is bullying.
As parents, we support our kids. We advocate for our kids. We dry their tears and we calm their fears. We are their greatest cheerleaders. And for many, teachers and administrators are too.
But today, I feel my daughter's Principal got it wrong. He decided that the actions of the offending student is not considered bullying. My question is this then: what is bullying?
I know we've all heard a story, read a newspaper, or watched a news anchor tell a story about bullying and what it is and what it isn't. If there is ever a question whether or not you or someone you know is being bullied, go to this website: http://www.stopbullying.gov/what-is-bullying/ to learn more.
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