Bully!
Posted by DAVID BC TAN under: Commentary; News on 3 Jul 2006.
Two vicious cases of school bullying have got everyone talking. Both cases -one involving boys (Kota Tinggi), and the other girls (Miri) – were recorded on phone videos and widely circulated on the internet (on YouTube too, until it was removed!)The Malaysian Psychological Association wants to propose the implementation of a bullying intervention programme developed by Dr D. Olweus. “The programme attempts to restructure the existing school environment to reduce opportunities for bullying. We have submitted our proposal to the ministry (of education),” said Malaysian Psychological Association council member Datin Dr Noran Fauziah Yaakub.
The programme has met with success in schools where it is used in Scandinavian countries as well as the US. Basically it’s all about increased supervision, more parent-teacher interaction, a curriculum of courtesy and respect, and sanctions for aggressive behaviour (which I imagine are all a given in the first place). Schools are also expected to do the following:
- Place primary responsibility for solving the problem with the adults at school rather than with parents or students.
- Project a clear moral stand against bullying.
- Include both systems-oriented and individual-oriented components.
- Set long-term and short-term goals.
- Target the entire school population, not just a few problem students.
- Make the program a permanent component of the school environment, not a temporary remedial program.
- Implement strategies that have a positive effect on students and on the school climate that go beyond the problem of bullying.
Anyway, I say go ahead and give it a shot. What piqued my interest however was the first point – we’re to expect adult teachers at school to deal with bullying. The programme assumes that if bullying occurs, very likely the parents of victim and aggressor are not informed, or do not recognize the signs. That’s when schools step in to talk to all parties involved. There’s some merit in having an outside party to take charge, but it won’t amount to anything if the student and his/her family do not also take as firm a stand as schools.
I think it all boils down to character, which in the final analysis, is best inculcated at home. Why then are parents failing in their job to instruct their kids in basic decency and respect? Why do we keep hearing about the importance of ‘socialising’ when the only social skill kids are picking up at home and school is to ‘look out for number 1’? When a cynical media in an indifferent society displaces the basis for values and virtues, we should not be surprised when our kids turn violent. We make the world what it is today.
I can almost hear you ask: what if the parents are unable or will not do their job?
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