Sunday, February 27, 2011

Discussion Questions

1. Have you ever seen anyone being bullied or have you been in that situation?? How was the problem resolved?

2. Is there a way that we can prevent students from bullying and if so how???

3. Why do you think bullying occurs???

Scholarly Article #1

“Bullying at School: What We Know and What We Can Do” - Dan Olweus

A bully is someone who picks on or intimidates a weaker or smaller person. No matter who you are, in everyone’s lifetime, you or someone you know has gotten bullied. Bullying is popular in all different sorts of environments such as playgrounds and neighborhoods, but it is most popular in schools. The only way to stop this horrible act is to get rid of it. Dan Olweus explains, “reduce as much as possible- ideally to eliminate completely- existing bully/victim problems in and out of the school setting and to prevent the development of new problems” (Olweus 65). Dan Olweus’ idea of “new problems” is school violence. When a person is picked on and bullied, they automatically want revenge. They have such an anger building up inside of them that they need to release. Many students think it is okay to release this anger in school towards other students who may be innocent, causing school violence. Another reason for school violence caused from bullying could be that the student feels alone. Dan Olweus explains “a student exposed to indirect bullying is excluded from the peer group and has problems making friends with other students in his or her class” (Olweus 65). If student has no one to talk to or be friends with, it could cause them to engage in violence. Schools need to become aware of these problems, so they do not escalate into something even bigger or worse. Not one school can become completely “bully proof” but what the administration of that school can do is to become aware of the extend of bully/victim problems. (Olweus 66). Dan Olweus proposes ideas on how to become aware of what is going on in the school environment. One specific idea is to “make an anonymous survey with the Bully/Victim Questionnaire,” that yields information concerning the extent of bully/victim problems at the school. (Olweus 66-67). “Registering the amount of bully/victim problems existing in the particular school often serves as an eye-opener to parents and teachers and makes them eager to take action” (Olweus 67). This is a prime way of making adults aware of the problems with their students so there can be a stop put to school violence. Dan Olweus thinks that the teacher can talk with the bully and the victim about different reaction patterns on how to handle the situation, instead of school violence. Teachers and administration can also spilt the students up so there would be no interaction of the bully and the victim. There are a many different techniques in which schools can do to try to prevent this horrible act taking place. It all depends on the degree of the situation and the climate of the school. Bullying is not acceptable and causing major problems that not only affect the victim but the school.
By: Olivia Ciallella



Scholarly Article #2

“Sticks and Stones and Shotguns at School: The Ineffectiveness of Constitutional Anti-bullying Legislation as a Response to School Violence” - K. Hart

Going on for some time now there has always been a bullying issue in different schools. Starting at such young ages, bullying takes place in every school, no matter what level the school is. Many people think of bullying in schools as an elementary problem but it ranges from all different ages and levels. In K. Hart’s article, “Sticks and Stones and Shotguns at School,” one particular incident is mentioned. That incident is Columbine. Throughout this article, K. Hart explains the different aspects of what happened at this tragic event. In this article we find out that the two students performed this outrageous act because of bullying. K. Hart explains, “Klebold’s taped statements, however, indicate otherwise; he speaks of the rage and resentment engendered by years of feeling left out and closes by saying “I didn’t like life very much”” (Hart 1110). This quote explains how the two students were verbally bullied. When K. Hart interviewed a football player, he found out that the whole school had tortured these two boys and called them terms such as “homo” (Hart 1111). Klebold and Harris, the two boys involved in the shooting, were bullied because of their own personal interests, such as witchcraft and voodoo dolls (Hart 1111). It is such a shame that those students had to go through the pain of other students harassing them because of their unique style. No one should ever have to suffer. This incident is a prime example of how bullying can lead to school violence. K. Hart explains that not only did Klebold and Harris want to get the other students back but also they said “I’m going to kill you all” (Hart 1111). This incident might not have been just from bullying but there could have also been issues in their home life that made this even worse. Dr. Dan Olweus explains, “it is a fundamental democratic right for a child to feel safe in school and to be spared the oppression and repeated, intentional humiliation implied in bullying” (Hart 1109). He is saying that it is completely wrong for a student to have to worry about going to school and being afraid. No parent should have to be concerned about what will happen to their child at school throughout the day. Many people do not think that bullying could lead to such a tragic event like what happened at Columbine High School. This behavior is unacceptable because of the school violence it leads too. Schools need to start taking control and be aware of what is going on with their student interactions.
By: Olivia Ciallella

Popular Article #1

Court: Mass. Bullied Teen Sought Help from School
The article Court: Mass. Bullied Teen Sought Help from School shows a good example of what bullying can do to a person and how it lead to school violence. Phoebe Prince is a 15 year old Irish immigrant that moved to South Hadley Massachusetts. After dating a popular boy at school she was teased in so many different ways by her six classmates that she would walk home crying. Prince tried everything she could to stop this bullying nonsense so she went to her school administrators after hearing one of the six students bullying her that she was going to beat her up and that she needed to watch her back. The harassments went on for a while at her school and even outside of her school. She was insulted verbally and physically throughout her school day. Even when the teachers reported the students’ threats to the principal nothing was done except that “the principal took immediately disciplinary action against both students” (Court). On January 13th she Prince did tell a school confidant that school “has been close to intolerable lately”. (Court). She was sick of being bullied and just coming to school she cannot put up with it anymore which indeed led to her death. On January 14th she was seen in the library with three of the bullies, as she was walking out of school she was verbally harassed but as she was walking home one of the bullies Ashley Longe drove by in a friend’s car and started throwing trash at her. This incident had lead Prince walking home crying. That same day she texted her friend about what had happened that day. “Later that day, Prince’s body was found hanging in the rear stairwell of her family’s apartment” (Court). It is very sad how bullying can lead to suicide. The article shows how the actions of these six students lead to violence against Prince. Their actions became very violent toward Prince, they were yelling at her in class using foul language it just became into this big situation that went to court. School violence not only is about guns and weapons in school it is also about violence toward other students. The violence shown in this article is happening verbally and physically in school. Prince was being cursed at about everyday for dating a popular boy at school and being called an “Irish slut” or an “Irish whore”. Going through the school day many people including Prince heard threats going towards her from the bullies so she went to get help from the administrators. Having someone say that they are going to beat her up and that she has to watch her back is leading to school violence because once one damage is done they are just going to continue. The fact that they know it was her that told the administrators could have led her into more danger because she would never know if they had guns on them or not. This could lead to them brining in weapons to school and threatening her in that way.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2010-04-09-school-bullying_N.htm
By: Wajiha Yassin

Popular Article #2

Cops: Conn. Mom Gave Son Weapons for School

In the article Cops: Conn. Mom Gave Son Weapons for School is a great example of how bullying can lead to school violence. In this article Sylvia Mojica, mom of a 12 year old gave her son a BB gun and foldable pocket knife to put in his backpack to defend himself. He said he was being bullied and his mother wanted him to be safe. His bullying did not happen in school in fact it was outside of school but she gave him the weapons anyways. This was a very dangerous situation for the students at his school. The article stated that “It was an alleged desperate act that has shocked fellow parents at the school” (Cops). Many people were very shocked that this has happened at their school. Many people do say that bullying is just part of a students’ life and it will just pass but they don’t know what types of bullying the students are going through. President Barrack Obama states in the article “We’ve got to dispel this myth that bullying is just a normal rite of passage, that it’s some inevitable part of growing up. It’s not,” (Cops). The mother was charged with risk of injury to a minor and the 12 year old boy was suspended for 10 days. Being bullied has an effect on many people and students. In this case it effected both the son and his mother. Even though he was not being bullied inside his school she still gave him the weapons in case anything happens which led to violence at school. This could have gone all wrong and anyone that said the wrong thing to the little boy he could have just pulled out his weapons and “protected” himself. Many parents do feel for their children if they are getting bullied but they don’t go to these types of measures to give their children weapons. This little boy could have started something in school if he has pulled out his BB gun or knife at one of his classmates because they would probably start bringing weapons to school to protecte themselves from people like Mojica’s son. School violence could start from the simplest things and lead to a huge problem. Students threatening other students with weapons will become a major issue especially for a student going to elementary school. Many problems at elementary schools are not as serious as this they are just either hitting, or telling the teacher, or maybe even saying “were not friends anymore”. These actions do not lead to school violence at that age. Students do learn at a young age and it is very likely for this boy to bring in weapons to school just like his mother had said to protect himself from now on. Since his mother thought it was okay then the children will think so too. Bullying is a major issue going on in the world and it may lead to school violence by bringing in weapons to protect themselves.
 By: Wajiha Yassin

Poem

The poem, “Childish”, by Tabitha Houghton-Smith, exemplifies the immaturity of bullying and what detrimental effects it has on its victims. Throughout the poem, the realization that bullying is a denial of one’s expression of themselves; it portrays the looming feeling of rejection and ostracizes those who try to “speak (their) mind”. The author believes that the way to revolt against bullying is to let the “childish games” strengthen and teach one how not to act to others and how to eventually stand up for oneself. It sheds light on the fact that bullying pulls its strength from the appearance of weakness. If a bully was stripped of his/her empowering façade, they would be incapable of achieving the self-gratitude they so desire. The fight against bullying is not physical; the most effective response to unnecessary negative treatment lies within passive resistance and the refusal to react immaturely to a bully’s instigating. A bully’s reasoning for defeating other people’s happiness is due to a lack of their own self-esteem, which develops from mistreatment in the bully’s personal life at home. In a way, many of the lines in this poem symbolize the feelings bullies have towards the negative personalities in their lives, such as: “There are so many things I need to say, but even if could they won’t give me the time of day.” In reality, the best way to prevent bullying is through a positive upbringing. If a child is taught to respect and love their family and, in turn, love themselves, there is a great chance that those qualities will motivate the child to establish healthy, mature relationships with his/her peers.
By: Josh Spielman

Fight Music

Eminem a rapper known around the world, my question is, is it for good or for bad? People say music has profanity and it’s the way it should be, music is a form of art and art will contain things that are inappropriate. In this blog project I was assigned to find music that Backlash from Bullying. I searched everywhere for a music that was related to violence and a music song that actually promoted someone to fight back. The answer was in my iPod this is one of my work out songs called “Fight Music”, sung by Eminem, Kuniva, Swifty McVay and Bizarre.  The lyrics that got me thinking was “I cripple any hypocritic critic I'm sic'd on, And this song is for any kid who gets picked on, A sick song to retaliate to, and it's called.. It's fight music!” the lyrics speaks for themselves it actually says that this song is for any kid that gets picked on.  That if you get picked on in school or in any other kind of situations fight back as the song inspires one to do. As Eminem explains “This kind of music, use it, and you get amped to do shit” as he sings and the listener gets do something violent to someone else.  “Fight Music” features various lyrics about violence and dangerous street fighting and it actually motivates a person to go and fight somebody that they hate. But once again it’s just art and it’s just Eminem’s thoughts about how you should face problems by fighting but you’re the person that should decide what you should do when you face problems.
By: Abraham John
Music Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pVfBW6N7QA
  Lyrics:
[Chorus: Eminem]
This kind of music, use it, and you get amped to do shit
Whenever you hear some shit and you can't refuse it
It's just some shit, for these kids, to trash they rooms with
Just refuse whenever they asked to do shit
The type of shit that you don't have to ask who produced it
You just know - that's the new shit
The type of shit that causes mass confusion
and drastic movement of people actin stupid
[Kon Artis]
I come to every club with intention to do harm
With a prosthetic arm and smelling like Boone's Farm
hiding under tables as soon as I hear alarms
Paranoid thief that'll steal from his own moms
Conniving Kon, Artis with a bomb
Strapped to my stomach screaming, "Let's get it on!"
A lush that love to drink, drunk driving a tank
Rollin over a bank, cops see me and faint
It's drastic, I'm past my limit of coke
I think I'll up my high by slitting your throat
Push your baby carriage into the street, 'til it's mince meat
Your mens been beat the minute I step onto your street
This is fight music!
[Bizarre]
You know why my hands are so numb? (No)
Cause my grandmother sucked my dick and I didn't cum (oh)
Smacked this whore for talking crap (bitch)
So what if she's handicapped, the bitch said Bizarre couldn't rap
I fucking hate you; I'll take your drawers down and rape you
While Dr. Dre videotapes you (hell yeah!)
Satan done got me on this song
eating a hot dog reading the Holy Qu'ran, while I'm on the john
Tired of wearing this yellow thong
Take it back Sisqo, you know where it belongs (thong th-thong thong)
Now here's a gun, I'll put it in your palm
Now go over there and blow up Dru Hill's arms
Fuck your love songs
[Chorus]
[Proof]
Just bring who you gon' bring on, who you gon' swing on?
I'm King Kong, guns blow you to king-dom come
Show you machine gun funk
Sixteen m-16's and one pump [click-clack]
The snub in my paw, shove it in your jaw
Have you running out this fucking club in your drawers
We loving the broads, there's nothing to applaud
But fuck it it's all good, the hood is up in The Source
It's fight music
[Swifty McVay]
I'm a nigga that loves scuffles
And won't hesitate to sock you again for swollen knuckles
I'm like that, catch a nigga like bear traps
Blow his head back right in front of the precinct saying, "You hear that?"
I slap your freak, bump you and won't speak
If you step on my feet, you get drowned in your own drink
I suffocated my shrink just for talking
Came back and fucked up his pallbearers and made 'em drop his coffin
It's fight music!
[Kuniva]
These beads I'm swinging is stinging 'em
See all these niggaz? When I step in the club, I'm bringing 'em
If any nigga looking too hard, we Rodney King'n 'em
Malice green to them and gasolinin 'em with premium
Light a cigarette, flick it at 'em or spit it at 'em
Hold up a picture of his family and kick it at him
Blast while you right hooking, right when your wife's looking
Fuck fight music, bitch this is losing your life music!
[Eminem]
If I could capture the rage of today's youth and bottle it
Crush the glass from my bare hands and swallow it
Then spit it back in the faces of you racists
and hypocrites who think the same shit but don't say shit
You Liberace's, Versace's, and you nazis
Watch me, cause you thinking you got me in this hot seat
You motherfuckers wanna JUDGE me cause you're NOT me
You'll never STOP me, I'm TOP speed as you POP me
I came to save these new generations of babies
from parents who failed to raise 'em cause they're lazy
to grow to praise me I'm makin 'em go crazy
That's how I got this whole nation to embrace me
And you fugazi if you think I'ma admit wrong
I cripple any hypocritic critic I'm sic'd on
And this song is for any kid who gets picked on
A sick song to retaliate to, and it's called..
[Chorus]
It's fight music!