Log out of Bullying School

We all disapprove of bullying in schools
that seems to be clear to everyone
at least on a theoretical level.
Yet we never fully log out.
And you ask me why?
Why do we consent shouting
at a school sports competition?
What about a neighbors meeting
where we yell at each other?
Introduction to Fast and Furious,
driving carelessly, unaware of the shouts,
our children sitting at the back of our cars.
What about whatsapp messages
sending all kinds of insults because
we didn’t like another person’s opinion?
Why are we reproducing and creating
all kinds of male chauvinist jokes,
racist jokes, homophobic jokes?
What about the pranks still played
on first course university students?
No, computer games are not made
by our children but they trivialize violence
like those violent movies and series
our children watch. Therefore,
it is unacceptable that who governs
and dictates justice allows all this
to happen without impunity.
We may have wonderful antibullying programs
in our schoools but meanwhile
society tells our children:
“Be aggressive and you will succeed in life!”
So, please, here I tell you:
“Log out of bullying school,
for coherence because
we need to live together
respecting each other and
we need to fight harassment.”

© 2015-2019 Marta Pombo Sallés

(inspired by a newspaper’s article written by educational advisor Juanjo Fernández)

Published by MOMENTS

49 thoughts on “Log out of Bullying School”

  1. This is a brilliant message! Many of the things you mentioned get over looked by society whereas we should pay more attention to them. Children pick up on things around them so school bullying can generate from day to day life… The world needs to wise up… ❤

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    2. Yes children learn from us. They don’t do what we tell them. They do what they see us do. Let us be loving and caring. Let us not be aggressive … life begins and ends with me …

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  3. Pingback: Log out of Bullying School – Fleeting Muse

  5. Very true. Bullying leads to so many kids becoming quiet and shy and we lose out on all the talent those kids possess too because they become too nervous and conscious to speak up again after an episode of bullying. Loved the post!

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  6. Good thoughts Marta.
    The rage culture of today is rampant….including its permeation of the poetry culture. We applaud the angry poem and ignore its negative energy. We love to bathe in its truths and exposures of wrongdoing. But it is rarely coupled with resolution within the context of forgiveness. We make the choice to hold on to the hate. We think it is all ok if we can justify it. And it weighs us all down without us even knowing it.
    When did it become fashionable to hate and mock? Or, has it always been this way and the internet only reveals our worst shortcomings?
    I learned a lot being bullied all through school.
    I learned how to spot it, avoid it, run from it. Occasionally, there were confrontations and I always lost the battle. I feel sorry for those who victimized me. They were/are lost in a self-loathing spiral. Becoming a bully, is not an answer against the bully.
    I’ll be quiet now.

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    1. I too suffered bullying in school when I was six years old. It was more of a psychological kind, but I felt very lonely and isolated for the following 5 years. I had zero self-esteem. Finally with a few also excluded girls we formed a little group out of our personal needs. And I was immensely glad to change school when I was 13. I could start from zero again. No, like you, I did not hit back either nor seek any revenge. I was too weak. Crying and weeping in the playground during the breakfast and lunch breaks saved me from being hit. Thus I avoided physical violence (little boys hit little girls just to make them cry, so they did not do it to me because I was already crying). My bullying was psychological. Changing school was the best for me and being lonely and isolated made me stronger. It is good that neither you nor I became bullies, which is one of the possible reactions after having been a victim of bullying or of any other sort of power abuse. I learned to be sensitive to any form of power abuse. I even helped detect a bullying case that affected one of my students and our school team solved the case successfully. Thank for your great reading and commenting of my post.

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  11. I totally agree with everything you say Marta. There has always been bullying, even before TV and all the other corrupting influences we now find ourselves drowning in.
    I’m surprised at how many people don’t know the difference between encouragement so a child or adult is confident enough to blossom and Shine with an inner light – and those who think that it’s more important to win at all costs no matter what it is – otherwise you’re a failure = a Win or lose-loser mentality. I suspect many victims of that mentality would risk cheating just to stop the mental stress.
    XXX

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  12. Very, very, very true, and I will tell you something more, bullying happens everywhere. I was bullied at school for being overweight, it was never-ending. And as horrible as this is to say I’m happy that one of the bullies died when he was in his late twenties of “unnatural causes”, possibly drugs. Bullies as children grow up to be bullies and horrible people as adults. The saddest realization was working in a local hospital I noticed that bullies at school grew up also having deep mental issues and at times, became inpatients in the psychiatric ward. Being a victim I have mixed opinions, however, I’m glad they are receiving help.

    Bullying in general strikes a chord with me and you summed it up perfectly, we need to live together and as one community. How are we to achieve this when bullying exists? In my opinion, Governments fail in uniting nations. An old cliche, “God created the world and Man creates borders.” Man also segregates, labels and divides. What kind of an example are they giving? Anti-bullying programs… a load of BS. Bullying flows through society and finally in our schools infecting our babies. Young minds should be nurtured not destroyed. As a victim, a mother and a mother of a disabled child, I now have the courage to stand and voice my opinion against bullying and discrimination. Inspiring poem, a great read making me proud I have found my voice, I only hope after reading your poem, others also find their voices.

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    1. Thank you for your thoughtful comment, Susan. I am sorry for what you went through. Yes, ” “God created the world and Man creates borders.” Man also segregates, labels and divides.” Man and woman. I believe every human being is a potential abuser. It is in our genes. When a newborn child comes to the world his or her family is already a place where one member abuses another. When that child goes to school there is bullying, when he or she starts to work there is mobbing… It is always a person or group of people that abuse another person or group of people. Thus a corrupt government abuses its citizens, a nation abuses another nation, and so on. However, I think antibullying programs in schools help students be more aware of power abuse. A bully is usually someone who has been previously abused. The abused can only choose three ways to react after an abuse:

      1- Hit back and even become worse than their bully/ bullies.
      2- Suffer the abuse in silence until the end of their lives.
      3- Learn from the traumatic experience, become an example for others and thus help them survive abuses.

      Obviously 3 is the right way to choose. We have many examples of that, which goes beyond school bullying. For instance, Waris Dirie who suffered gender mutilation and became a fighter against FGM.

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      1. You are right and there are so many examples. I believe in number three also. I try to teach my children, and there are many who think the same. I only hope that one day there is enough of us to make a difference until then I have a mission in life. 🙂

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  16. I started standing up to school bullies in first grade – my friends were getting bullied by older kids. I was in many a donnybrook after the recess bell, and lost most of them. Schools by their nature are institutions, like prisons. As an educator of 25 years and an Iraq Veteran, I have arrived at three things that I think might help with bullying in schools. First, a school principal that makes it know that she will ruthlessly investigate and bring to justice any harassment or bullying, and will discipline any staff who does not deal with it right away. Second, I told my own kids to stand up to bullies if they were picking on other kids. Many times they had told the adults in the school, and they did nothing. I gave them the green light to take care of business. they did. Bullying stopped. Third, P.E. class should include things like Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, boxing, and Karate, for all kids who do not have a history of harassing others. Discipline, confidence, and skills. The fun goes right out of bullying if a group of kids say “No!” and can back it up. If you cannot effect change at your school, allow your kids to gain the skills they need to protect themselves and others. Encourage friends to do likewise with their kids. Bullies emerge when their is weakness. Eliminate the weakness. Good luck!

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    1. Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts and your experience in this field. I highly value your comment here. I am so glad you found ways to stop bullying. Your example is, no doubt, something we should all consider. Thank you again!

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    1. Thank you so much for commenting, Michelle. I am sorry you went through all this. Hope you can overcome depression and anxiety. Here I send you all the my best wishes 🙏and strength 💪❤

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  19. You are so right. There would be none of that negative behavior that you mentioned if people followed bible principals. For example Ecclesiates 4:31 tells us to “put away from yourselves every kind if malicious bitterness, anger, wrath, screaming, and abusive speech, as well as everything injurious” But notice verse 32. There it says “But become kind to one another, tenderly compassionate, freely forgiving one another just as God also by Christ freely forgave you”.

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