Read this first.
At first blush, it seems like a clear-cut case of racist hate speech. A lynching threat against a black kid, the parents get worried and move away, the school district "deals" with it as per their discipline policy, the story makes the news, and pretty soon, everything will go back to normal. It gets chalked up to the increase of bullying in schools, and while it's obviously something to be saddened about, slightly, as there was no crime, it's something that can be safely swept under the rug.
But should it? On a closer look, it took place in Beloit, Ohio. Beloit is a small town, so obviously the term "hicks in the sticks" might be applied. But an even closer look at the area shows that it's right in the middle of Amish country.
Hate crimes. Amish population.
And to top it off, as there's no blood shed or bruises healed, it's not a crime. I remember the bullying from high school and junior high. I remember the ones that got beaten up and the reasons they got it. I also remember that 90% of the time, I thought that it could have been prevented by words in the right ears: whether those ears were of the administration or the right words spoken to the incensed party, that depended on the situation.
Of course, I was never really bullied, either. I either got along with people, or if I didn't, I was at peace with them as much as I could be. I didn't want to go through life brawling senselessly. I made a promise to myself a long time ago, that if I ever fought, it'd be all the way to the death. I figured that way, I'd never have to fight again. But I also understood that there was no way I wanted to be in a situation that the only way out was a person in a body bag.
I suppose that, if I wanted to assign blame, there's so much to go around that it's not any one person's fault. The board is at fault for not stating more strongly their stance on such things, but I also understand that their hands are tied by red tape. The student who was threatened might be at fault for showing weakness or for not standing up for themselves in an appropriate manner; heck, it might not even be race related if he "stole" someone's girlfriend or whatever. I wasn't there; but I'm hard pressed to see how he couldn't have de-escalated this with a few right words in the right places. The threatening teenager is obviously at fault, but his parents are even more so for allowing their teenage son to have grown up without an appreciation for history. I mean, there are just some things that people don't do: insulting a person's race, faith, and social standing are just a few signs of an underdeveloped mind, and it's a parent's job to develop their child.
Looking at it from a broader spectrum, though, what is bullying? It's an attempt to impose a social order on another individual. What does that look like? It seems to me that it's any sort of intolerance - whether it be based on race, religion, money, or whatever other boundary what we people use to define "ourselves" and "whoever else is out there." While these intolerances may have served a useful function in the past, when food was scarce and mating options were limited, what purpose do they serve now?
Next up: viva la difference?
Well, it's not at all in Amish Country (much closer to Youngstown and the mob, actually), so there are no Amish, but "hicks in the sticks" I'd generally agree with. Although that's such a simplified description of the area that I'm tempted to expound upon it...but I'll spare you from that, at least. Comments below the story from current WB students indicate that all may not be as seen by Yahoo. For example, I read several that said Adontis was well-liked by other students. Honestly, it boils down to this: the kid who said it is an idiot (to be PC, I suppose I should say "spoke idiotically"), and his parents should have taught him better and absolutely failed in that. Please note that Adontis and his sister had attended within the school district for many years without incident. In my former high school's defense, it is a GREAT school. We consistently earn excellent ratings for education (as well as our sports programs), and open enrollment began back in the mid-90s when I went there. Kids come for open enrollment because it IS a good school. (And it already had a bullying policy, by the way.) Thanks to one kid who didn't keep his mouth shut or use his brain when he should have, the entire nation is now questioning my school like it's some sort of breeding ground for juvenile delinquents, and this angers me. I'm thankful it was "only" a threat, yes - but honestly, do you think he would have carried it out? I don't. I know the area, and they're not like that. He was some stupid kid shooting off his mouth to feel powerful around his peers. Bullying is serious, yes (I've been bullied plenty; I should know), but Yahoo's jumping on this story once it had already been handled appropriately is merely an example of going along with the latest media bandwagon. And the more fuel we feed it with stories like these, the larger the fire and the bigger the problem grows. THAT'S what's causing the increase in bullying. Because bullying has always existed and always WILL exist (please hear me: not that it's right)...in every school, in every town, in every nation. Every kid knows that you can try anything you want as long as you don't get caught. People like to feel powerful and important, and the little guy always suffers. I believe that's called a sinful nature. Bravo to the kid(s) on the bus who reported it. (Haven't heard much about that angle, have we?) *ends rant, steps off soapbox, but sighs, knowing the castigation will continue tomorrow and the day after that...*
ReplyDeleteWell spoken, ConTom. Anyone else want to weigh in?
ReplyDelete