Bullying in our schools

Today more than ever we hear news stories about some kid falling off the edge entering a school building terrorizing, injuring or even killing other students.

We ask ourselves-"Bullies have always existed." Why in recent years have those they have made life intolerable each school day reacted so violently?

This is my pet peeve of the day following an incident in the area in which I reside and what really triggers this is the blind eye our public schools have taken on this issue.

In the case of a 13 year old boy from the Antietam Middle/High school in Berks County Pennsylvania, this may be a factor.

On Wednesday January 9th, 13 year old Ian Chimenko entered a classroom carrying a propane torch and a knife. He tackled a 16 year old female and stabbed her once in the back. It was alledged he also stabbed three other students. He fled the classroom and encountered a teacher and a school principal who tried to talk to the boy. The teacher grabbed the child and subdued him and he was taken into police custody.

There were various news accounts on local and Philadelphia television stations and local newspaper accounts. One of the students. the 16 year old girl made a brief statement on the evening news. " He was just some kid everybody talks to" Some kid that everybody talks to? The report also stated that a few student said Chimenko "may have been picked on".
The school principal said Chimenko had not previously shown any odd behavior and there were no problems the school was aware of.

This entire situation is bizarre to say the least. The injuries were stated to be "superficial" the 16 year olds was actually shown with a bandaid covering. You know,the kind Mom puts on your knee when you get a scrape from a fall.

What is missing here? A friend at work called his nephew to see if all was well and was told by him that this kid was and had been picked on constantly yet no on was aware of this amongst school staff??? Again, something missing.

Back to the opening of this blog. Bullying is NOT the same in our current times as it was when we were kids. It is more brutal. Schools turn the other eye, other kids won't report incidents as snitches are the bad guys, bullys are not? Cyber bullying has pushed kids to the brink of suicides, failing grades and psychological and emotional meltdowns. Beating of kids by bullies are shown on videos on You Tube and are considered cool. The inmates run the prisons or should I say the bullies and miscreants run the schools.

Teach your kids the right thing. It is right to tell someone if another friend or student in or out of school that is being harrassed like Ian. Bullying and fights on You Tube are not cool and to laugh or take any part of it is dispicable.

I am not unsympathetic to anyone physically hurt or even killed by another, however we must treat both sides of this plague that becomes more and more evident in our society.

Comments are encourged.

Signed,

Pennsylvania Zealot