Community Chat

[pinkskates4]

I guess I just find it amazing that in this time of - everyone must not just tolerate, but embrace diversity - that bullying seems to be at an all time high.

I remember high school in the 60's where we had a guy who was flamboyantly gay - and no one bothered him. He had his artsy friends and was fine. I know this personally because his sister and I were friends and I spent a lot of time with her - and with him. My boyfriend at the time was also his friend.

This was in a very conservative time and place and no one was lecturing us on how to behave.

[tansy]

On 3/19/2014 Dagna said:

I guess I just find it amazing that in this time of - everyone must not just tolerate, but embrace diversity - that bullying seems to be at an all time high.

I remember high school in the 60's where we had a guy who was flamboyantly gay - and no one bothered him. He had his artsy friends and was fine. I know this personally because his sister and I were friends and I spent a lot of time with her - and with him. My boyfriend at the time was also his friend.

This was in a very conservative time and place and no one was lecturing us on how to behave.

I look back at being in HS in the late 60s and now realize two classmates were gay but none of us seemed aware of the concept. Did you ever state what you thought should have been done about the situation in the OP?

[Marienkaefer2]

On 3/19/2014 Dagna said:

I guess I just find it amazing that in this time of - everyone must not just tolerate, but embrace diversity - that bullying seems to be at an all time high.

I remember high school in the 60's where we had a guy who was flamboyantly gay - and no one bothered him. He had his artsy friends and was fine. I know this personally because his sister and I were friends and I spent a lot of time with her - and with him. My boyfriend at the time was also his friend.

This was in a very conservative time and place and no one was lecturing us on how to behave.

Because it was one way in your experience, doesn't mean it was that way everywhere. Plenty of people were persecuted, thrown out of the parents' homes, injured, and killed for being gay or "different." Plenty still are.

Lots of bullying was not reported or addressed. Things happened and no one found out about them.

Actually, I'm not sure how the topic of being gay has come up related to this thread. Was it mentioned somewhere that the kid is gay?

If not, then just because this kid likes My Little Pony stuff does not mean he is gay. My mom's friend's son played with dolls a lot as a little kid. He is as straight as they come.

[pinkskates4]

On 3/19/2014 Marienkaefer2 said:

On 3/19/2014 Dagna said:

I guess I just find it amazing that in this time of - everyone must not just tolerate, but embrace diversity - that bullying seems to be at an all time high.

I remember high school in the 60's where we had a guy who was flamboyantly gay - and no one bothered him. He had his artsy friends and was fine. I know this personally because his sister and I were friends and I spent a lot of time with her - and with him. My boyfriend at the time was also his friend.

This was in a very conservative time and place and no one was lecturing us on how to behave.

Because it was one way in your experience, doesn't mean it was that way everywhere. Plenty of people were persecuted, thrown out of the parents' homes, injured, and killed for being gay or "different." Plenty still are.

Lots of bullying was not reported or addressed. Things happened and no one found out about them.

Actually, I'm not sure how the topic of being gay has come up related to this thread. Was it mentioned somewhere that the kid is gay?

If not, then just because this kid likes My Little Pony stuff does not mean he is gay. My mom's friend's son played with dolls a lot as a little kid. He is as straight as they come.

I don't know if he is or isn't. Other posters have mentioned discrimination against gays - which is why I did.

I'm not saying that discrimination never did - and does not still occur. Of course it did and does.

What I am saying is that - all the school programs on bullying, all the national attention to bullying, and all the lectures we get daily here on the forum and in the press - are not solving the problem.

The schools - every time we hear about a case of bullying - seem incapable of stopping it.

So what is the answer - more programs?

[Irshgrl31201]

On 3/19/2014 Dagna said:

On 3/19/2014 Marienkaefer2 said:

On 3/19/2014 Dagna said:

I guess I just find it amazing that in this time of - everyone must not just tolerate, but embrace diversity - that bullying seems to be at an all time high.

I remember high school in the 60's where we had a guy who was flamboyantly gay - and no one bothered him. He had his artsy friends and was fine. I know this personally because his sister and I were friends and I spent a lot of time with her - and with him. My boyfriend at the time was also his friend.

This was in a very conservative time and place and no one was lecturing us on how to behave.

Because it was one way in your experience, doesn't mean it was that way everywhere. Plenty of people were persecuted, thrown out of the parents' homes, injured, and killed for being gay or "different." Plenty still are.

Lots of bullying was not reported or addressed. Things happened and no one found out about them.

Actually, I'm not sure how the topic of being gay has come up related to this thread. Was it mentioned somewhere that the kid is gay?

If not, then just because this kid likes My Little Pony stuff does not mean he is gay. My mom's friend's son played with dolls a lot as a little kid. He is as straight as they come.

I don't know if he is or isn't. Other posters have mentioned discrimination against gays - which is why I did.

I'm not saying that discrimination never did - and does not still occur. Of course it did and does.

What I am saying is that - all the school programs on bullying, all the national attention to bullying, and all the lectures we get daily here on the forum and in the press - are not solving the problem.

The schools - every time we hear about a case of bullying - seem incapable of stopping it.

So what is the answer - more programs?

I agree with you. It seems as if bullying is worse now than it was in the past. I don't know if it is because we just hear about it more with the internet or because it is happening more. I happen to think that bullying definitely did exist back then but there are more ways of bullying now. Kids could go home and get away from it but now with social media there is no getting away from it.

[Marienkaefer2]

On 3/19/2014 Dagna said:

On 3/19/2014 Marienkaefer2 said:

On 3/19/2014 Dagna said:

I guess I just find it amazing that in this time of - everyone must not just tolerate, but embrace diversity - that bullying seems to be at an all time high.

I remember high school in the 60's where we had a guy who was flamboyantly gay - and no one bothered him. He had his artsy friends and was fine. I know this personally because his sister and I were friends and I spent a lot of time with her - and with him. My boyfriend at the time was also his friend.

This was in a very conservative time and place and no one was lecturing us on how to behave.

Because it was one way in your experience, doesn't mean it was that way everywhere. Plenty of people were persecuted, thrown out of the parents' homes, injured, and killed for being gay or "different." Plenty still are.

Lots of bullying was not reported or addressed. Things happened and no one found out about them.

Actually, I'm not sure how the topic of being gay has come up related to this thread. Was it mentioned somewhere that the kid is gay?

If not, then just because this kid likes My Little Pony stuff does not mean he is gay. My mom's friend's son played with dolls a lot as a little kid. He is as straight as they come.

I don't know if he is or isn't. Other posters have mentioned discrimination against gays - which is why I did.

I'm not saying that discrimination never did - and does not still occur. Of course it did and does.

What I am saying is that - all the school programs on bullying, all the national attention to bullying, and all the lectures we get daily here on the forum and in the press - are not solving the problem.

The schools - every time we hear about a case of bullying - seem incapable of stopping it.

So what is the answer - more programs?

Is the answer to give up altogether?

[Irshgrl31201]

On 3/19/2014 Marienkaefer2 said:

On 3/19/2014 Dagna said:

On 3/19/2014 Marienkaefer2 said:

On 3/19/2014 Dagna said:

I guess I just find it amazing that in this time of - everyone must not just tolerate, but embrace diversity - that bullying seems to be at an all time high.

I remember high school in the 60's where we had a guy who was flamboyantly gay - and no one bothered him. He had his artsy friends and was fine. I know this personally because his sister and I were friends and I spent a lot of time with her - and with him. My boyfriend at the time was also his friend.

This was in a very conservative time and place and no one was lecturing us on how to behave.

Because it was one way in your experience, doesn't mean it was that way everywhere. Plenty of people were persecuted, thrown out of the parents' homes, injured, and killed for being gay or "different." Plenty still are.

Lots of bullying was not reported or addressed. Things happened and no one found out about them.

Actually, I'm not sure how the topic of being gay has come up related to this thread. Was it mentioned somewhere that the kid is gay?

If not, then just because this kid likes My Little Pony stuff does not mean he is gay. My mom's friend's son played with dolls a lot as a little kid. He is as straight as they come.

I don't know if he is or isn't. Other posters have mentioned discrimination against gays - which is why I did.

I'm not saying that discrimination never did - and does not still occur. Of course it did and does.

What I am saying is that - all the school programs on bullying, all the national attention to bullying, and all the lectures we get daily here on the forum and in the press - are not solving the problem.

The schools - every time we hear about a case of bullying - seem incapable of stopping it.

So what is the answer - more programs?

Is the answer to give up altogether?

I think by making this kid keep his back pack home they are giving up. They are in essence saying it is too much trouble for us so be yourself at home but not at school if it differs from societies norms.

[glb613]

I'd rather give up than have the kid get beat up everyday at school. There is a time to draw a line in the sand and a time to not. Plus, I'd be worried about a boy who wanted a "my little pony" backpack.

[Irshgrl31201]

On 3/19/2014 glb613 said:

I'd rather give up than have the kid get beat up everyday at school. There is a time to draw a line in the sand and a time to not. Plus, I'd be worried about a boy who wanted a "my little pony" backpack.

See, I would be more worried if I had a kid who thought it was ok to taunt or beat up a kid who carried a my little pony backpack. That I see as a problem, not a kid who likes something that society says isn't what they are supposed to like. If we are serious about addressing bullying it should start here.

[Marienkaefer2]

On 3/19/2014 Irshgrl31201 said:

On 3/19/2014 Marienkaefer2 said:

On 3/19/2014 Dagna said:

On 3/19/2014 Marienkaefer2 said:

On 3/19/2014 Dagna said:

I guess I just find it amazing that in this time of - everyone must not just tolerate, but embrace diversity - that bullying seems to be at an all time high.

I remember high school in the 60's where we had a guy who was flamboyantly gay - and no one bothered him. He had his artsy friends and was fine. I know this personally because his sister and I were friends and I spent a lot of time with her - and with him. My boyfriend at the time was also his friend.

This was in a very conservative time and place and no one was lecturing us on how to behave.

Because it was one way in your experience, doesn't mean it was that way everywhere. Plenty of people were persecuted, thrown out of the parents' homes, injured, and killed for being gay or "different." Plenty still are.

Lots of bullying was not reported or addressed. Things happened and no one found out about them.

Actually, I'm not sure how the topic of being gay has come up related to this thread. Was it mentioned somewhere that the kid is gay?

If not, then just because this kid likes My Little Pony stuff does not mean he is gay. My mom's friend's son played with dolls a lot as a little kid. He is as straight as they come.

I don't know if he is or isn't. Other posters have mentioned discrimination against gays - which is why I did.

I'm not saying that discrimination never did - and does not still occur. Of course it did and does.

What I am saying is that - all the school programs on bullying, all the national attention to bullying, and all the lectures we get daily here on the forum and in the press - are not solving the problem.

The schools - every time we hear about a case of bullying - seem incapable of stopping it.

So what is the answer - more programs?

Is the answer to give up altogether?

I think by making this kid keep his back pack home they are giving up. They are in essence saying it is too much trouble for us so be yourself at home but not at school if it differs from societies norms.

When I said give up, I was referring to the "more programs" comment.

I took the statement to mean, education against this type of behavior (ie in the schools) isn't working, so what's the answer..more programs?

My response was..so do we give up altogether on the education?

As far as this particular case, I am on the fence, as I can see both sides.