BULLYING

The longer a child is bullied, the more likely they are to develop
physical, emotional and psychological scars that can last a lifetime.

Bullying can be devastating ~ leaving children withdrawn...shy...and insecure.
Kids frequently suffer stomach-aches...headaches...panic attacks.... and nightmares.
They can be unable to sleep ~ or may sleep too much.
They often do poorly in school due to loss of focus and confidence.
Often results can be devastating!

Raised by Christian parents, my sister and I were abolished from several activities ~ and often jeered about 'the dress we wore.' My sister, (14 months older than me) took the brunt of such remarks ~
 due to her outspoken responses. We were barred from certain social events at both 
Public and High Schools.
Dancing and Movies were sinful!
Playing cards (supporting gambling) was also Taboo!

Such activities, said our parents, supported the 'ills of Hollywood.'

Except for summer, we were chided about wearing long brown stockings!
To avoid these snide comments ~ when out of sight from home,
we rolled these stockings down to below our knees.
Our father, often jokingly stated to relatives and neighbours, I'll soon have to sit on the front porch with my shot-gun! Well, he may have ~ for that was his opinion!

Transport Truck and Driver: When, while roller-skating to school one afternoon, I tripped and fell facing the traffic along Hwy 53 until reaching the sidewalk into the village school. My knees, badly skinned and bleeding, I was sprawled in pain. A truck driver leaving the village en route to Brantford, stopped to assist me. Crying out of pain and frustration, I was mightily embarrassed 'cause this was a MAN with whom I should not associate!!! Obtaining a First Aid Kit from his parked vehicle, he cleansed my bleeding right knee...layered on some salve...and bandaged it. Ensuring that I could skate, he watched until I reached the sidewalk into the village. 
My sister, already at school, I could not relate to her this incident
fearing she would tell my parents...and I'd be in trouble permitting a strange man to assist me.
As far as she was concerned, I'd fallen on the school grounds.

Toilet Flush: One time, when she was in Grade 8, at recess time, my sister was forced into the girls' washroom ~ teased and taunted by a circle of girls ~ not only about her lack of friendship with them but also due to her inability to 'hang out with them' they forced her to put her head of long hair into a toilet...and holding down her head, they laughingly flushed the toilet!!! My sister, Eileen was in tears and when released, she ran home to avoid further persecution. Mockingly, they had forced me to observe this humiliating action, with threats that if I told the teacher(s), I'd get the same!
Hopefully, our attitude and acceptance in High School

would better our lives.

After graduating from Grade 10, Lee (my sister Eileen) left school
to daily bus into Brantford to study nursing at the General Hospital,
This became her vocation and a Happy Soul She Was!

Teacher Visitation: Early one evening, Miss Proudfoot and Mrs.Anderson came to our farm to speak with our parents. The Grade 10 students, studying Shakespeare were (free of charge) to be taken by bus into Brantford ~ and there, in a theatre, to view this classic movie.

Supporting the ills of Hollywood, my parents forbade me to go..

Nothing was achieved...the 'theatre' was a bane!

Despite indifferences with some students, I did have special friends:
Sylvia Hunter, a next door neighbour to our farm, with whom I daily walked to school
and Margaret Templer a village friend with whom I had a deep friendship until Grade 13.

Although, restricted of participation in some sinful activities, other High School interests captured my mindset: music...literary writings...and the physical games of basketball, volleyball and badminton. With a newly challenged outlook, my teachers were most pleased!

To the 4-H Club I was a member as a farm girl:
No uniform was required and there were no national fees.
Teens could select a program that works well for them ~ available for ages 8 to 18.
Nearly 6 million kids complete hands-on-projects in areas of health, STEM, agriculture, and civic engagement through schools...

and country clubs, and 4-H camps. In 4-H, we believe in the passion of young people!

A bold heading in today's Hamilton Spectator (February 10
prompted MY foregoing writing about BULLYING!

BULLYING REVIEW KICKS OFF AT WESTMOUNT
 Panel announces 5 general and 10-group-specific meetings to be held
during February and March.
In introduction, Richard Leitner stated:Westmount Secondary will host the first of 15 sessions
scheduled by an independent panel of experts
studying how to prevent bullying in Hamilton public schools.

As a teacher for many years, I had observed bullying within the school systems.
It's taken a long time for the problem-solving to come to fruition (hopefully):
Within my classrooms, bullying, I did not tolerate.
Although school principals were aware of bullying situations,
they could only say Their Hands Were Tied!

Personally Written by Merle Baird-Kerr...February 10, 2020
Comments received: mbairdkerr@cogeco.ca