In my next few posts I will try to explain the extent to which I was bullied as a child, in particular in my middle school years. I stuttered horribly as a child (I still stutter today but it is much more controlled.) I was greeted to school every day by kids slapping me on the back of my head (we called it cuffing in Minnesota), knocking the books out of my hands and making fun of my stutter. “D-d-d-d-d-d-dave. D-d-d-d-did you d-d-d-d-d-drop y-y-y-y-your b-b-b-b-b-b-ooks?” then walk off laughing.
That’s the thing about bullies, they get their thrills by making someone else feel bad and then they go on with their day without a second thought about their target. I would imagine that most bullies are actually good people. They get good grades, they excel at sports and other activities, they go to church, are scouts, respect their grandparents. What they don’t know is that while they go merrily on with their life, their victims carry the stinging words and physical slaps and punches around all day long. They go from class to class, looking around corners, afraid to be in the hall for fear that one of their tormentors will be waiting for them. They carry the mental abuse home with them, crying as they get in to bed at night because they know that tomorrow will bring more of the same. There is no respite for the bullied. There is no succor.
Over the next few posts I will describe specific instances of bullying that stay with me to this day. It is my goal as a teacher to make my classroom a safe environment for every student.
Music 3:16 