I read this article in the Montreal Gazette that talked about a young witness kid being bullied in school. It made me think back to all the times I was treated differently in School for being a Jehovah's Witness. I grew up in a predominately Mexican Community and went to public school there from 1st-12th grade as a JW. I had very light skin and had blonde hair past my waist...so I stood out in school anyway. I was shy & quiet but, when it came to being a witness I always took a bold stand in school. I have so many experiences as a witness child in school that I could write a book about it. One that stands out right now happened when I was in second grade. It was Valentine's Day and the teacher had set up bags with everyone's name on it. We were to take turns getting up in class and distributing the Valentines we had brought from home into each bag. When it was my turn, the teacher asked me where my Valentines for the class were. (Of course as a witness, I didn't celebrate Valentine's Day and did not come to school with any) I told her this. She took that opportunity to tell the class to take the Valentines they had for me and throw them away. She went to the chalkboard, took the bag with my name off, and threw it in the trash. I was so humiliated. (yes even as a six yr old) Later, when I raised my hand to ask to use the bathroom, she gave me a harsh look...so I lowered it. I ended up peeing all over my desk, books papers etc.. Of course, the kids pointed and laughed...and the teacher ended up with a crying, wet kid. *sigh* I was wondering if any of you had stories to tell about being a witness in school? ~wick (now of the potty trained class)
__________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________ We must help bully victims be less of a target principal: Defends position. Says kids must learn to behave in age group
| ALLISON LAMPERT | |
| The Gazette |
June 25, 2004
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The principal at the centre of a bullying controversy at Westmount High School has dramatically improved student attendance and discipline.
Claude Dansereau made headlines this week for urging an eccentric 15-year-old student at the school of 500 to make himself less of a target to bullies.
Widely described as a no-nonsense principal, he arrived at Westmount high in 2000, after spending years running Batshaw's schools for young offenders and children in youth protection. Many of Dansereau's beliefs stem from his experience at Batshaw. He said he believes kids need to adjust to the society they live in.
Earlier in the year, Dansereau told the mother of Grade 8 student Luke Trust to visit her son less frequently at school. Although Luke, a devout Jehovah's Witness, said he liked seeing his mother, he was often taunted by other kids over her visits.
Dansereau's advice, described in a Gazette article sparked public debate over school's responsibilities toward victims of bullying. Critics said asking the 'bullied' to change is tantamount to blaming the victim, or advocating conformity.
Dansereau disagrees. Although he wouldn't comment specifically on Luke's case, Dansereau said educators should punish tormenters, but also help their victims become less of a target.
"If a victim is acknowledging being bullied since Grade 1, than you have to address the situation of the kids who are bullying that victim," he said in an interview.
"But obviously there is some work that has to be done with the victim. How come the bullies are seeing that kid as such a good target? How come this kid is being systematically victimized?
"Both (kids) are in the process of being adults and both have to receive our help and guidance and that's what we're trying to do at Westmount."
He described the case of one student who didn't want to listen to music during a class dance in the school auditorium. The boy left the auditorium and sat in the corridor with five inches of toilet paper sticking out of each ear, Dansereau said.
"That's a situation where obviously the kid is seen by a group of students and he will be teased," Dansereau said.
"We have students who are acting in a way that they are easily targeted by other kids. They have to learn how to behave within their age group."
That doesn't mean a student who's into the goth subculture, or dresses like a punk needs to transform him, or herself into a copy of Britney Spears.
"We have kids who express their individuality in different ways," Dansereau said. "It's more a question of maturity."
Asking victims to change, he said, isn't a way for schools to avoid enforcing zero tolerance policies toward bullying. Enforcing zero tolerance will never completely eliminate bullying.
"Zero tolerance doesn't mean that kids who are making one comment will be automatically suspended," he said. "What it means is if as an adult you are witnessing a kid being abusive verbally... you intervene."
Online Extra: A Grade 8 student who is relentlessly teased by his classmates says he should not have to conform to their style of dress and behaviour. You can read about it in The Gazette's revamped Web site www.montrealgazette.com
© The Gazette (Montreal) 2004