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The following are excerpts from editorials about bullying written by students in Bev Poos’ seventh-grade composition class at Maize South Middle School:
If you think it makes you cool to be a bully, then you should think again. Hurting people physically and emotionally is very disrespectful. You have no idea how you make a person feel when you bully him. School should be a place where we don’t have to worry about being bullied or harassed and picked on.
– Mollye Baker
Bullying happens everywhere. It can happen at school, on the bus and at the playground. It can even happen by texting someone something mean, or maybe writing something on Facebook that’s hurtful. But school should be a safe place where kids don’t have to worry about that kind of stuff. We should be able to control bullying at school and make it a safe place for kids.
– Adrian Bookout
You may not think that bullying is serious, but too many kids kill themselves over bullying each year. If kids are bullied, it could cause them to have low self-esteem. That could cause them to make bad decisions about drugs or alcohol. Also, their confidence could go down, making them not go out for sports or other extracurricular activities. If bullying doesn’t have a harsher punishment or isn’t better recognized, it will just get worse.
– Will Cocking
Just because someone looks different, acts differently or hangs out with different people, that doesn’t mean you have the right to bully him. Everyone’s different in his own way. If you see someone being bullied, stand up to the person who is bullying. Is it that hard to do?
– Carley Boren
If you are a bully, stop. If you are getting bullied, get help and tell a teacher. A lot of people watch other students get bullied. Instead of watching, go and tell the bully to stop. Why can’t we all just get along?
– Kaden Sorensen
Even if you are joking, bullying hurts people deep down inside. Remember, treat others the way you want to be treated. Bullying is not OK, no matter what the problem is.
– Hunter Thompson
One of the ways to stop bullying is to stand up for the people being bullied. Put yourself in their shoes. How would you feel if you were being picked on? You would want someone to stand up for you. So if you see someone being bullied, do something about it.
– Saige Peebler
There are many ways to prevent bullying and help those who have been bullied. The It Gets Better Project is working to do this. Celebrities such as Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry and Ellen DeGeneres have pledged that even if life seems challenging, it will get better. The project also invites people to take the pledge to create a bully-free society. Take a stand against bullying. You could save a life.
– Gabby Sanchez
