Medicine Hat Media

Posts Tagged ‘Bullying’

It sounds kind of far fetched to hear it, but without naming names, I have recently heard some stories about bullying going on at a local high school in Medicine Hat.

Most high school’s these days claim zero tolerance, dress codes to some extent and safe learning environments, but what about bullying? Personally, I cannot relate, because as far as I know, bullying never went on in my high school, or at least never to such an extent as to cause much emotional or physical harm. Still, I guess it happens every now and then these days by super tough teenagers that think they are all that.

The story I heard is that a kid in high school, after being a victim of prolonged bullying, finally had his arm broken by said bully and the school cannot (or will not?) do anything about it because it took place inside the gymnasium’s change room, where teachers apparently are not allowed to go while students are changing. In this case, the bully seems to have not even received a temporary suspension from school, but probably should have received an expulsion.

The natural instinct is for a parent to call the school and ask why their child was bullied and what is to be the repercussion for the actions of the bully, but if nothing is to be done, what then?

One alternative is to talk to the school Resource Officer, which according to the outline on the Medicine Hat Police website, will: “Identify and resolve problems involving student, school and the community.”and “Maintain open lines of communication with staff, students and parents, the community and police members.”

The second alternative is that as high school is the preparation for real life, give the bully a potent dosage of reality and call the Police.

No one wants to be a victim, so if victimized, why not stop it in its tracks?

The Medicine Hat Police: 403-529-8400
http://www.medicinehatpolice.com/


Last updated November 28th, 2008

It seems that a joke from the popular cartoon South Park titled “Kick A Ginger Day” got taken too literally
on November 20th in Medicine Hat and across the country. Teachers across the nation were warned by school boards to be on the lookout for attacks or out-of-hand jokes towards red haired children.

Throughout the day, My96FM describes that Facebook, one of the most popular social networking websites, also sported a public group declaring the event over a national scale. Continually throughout their “Free Speech Friday”, people have been calling in, discussing their thoughts on how Facebook and television is to blame.

In Medicine Hat, “Kick A Ginger Day” was accompanied by few students at various schools, including Medicine Hat High School, McCoy High School, Crescent Heights High School, refusing to go to school on November 20. In other cases, one student was allegedly kicked over 200 times, while in another case, one student was allegedly hospitalized after being kicked so hard.

South Park Ginger Kids

South Park Ginger Kids

*UPDATE*
It seems as though the situation and comments were blown out of proportion. It was reported in the Medicine Hat News (days later) that no student was kicked 200 times and no student was ever hospitalized. The police were never called about any assaults. While kids were reported to have been kicked, it was clearly only in a friendly, jokingly manner.

This kind of behavior, like with most semi-violent or violent situations, brings up the irresolvable questions that asks if television and video games provoke violence. Do they? Personally, I believe that if kids are raised poorly, it will have a good effect on their judgment and consciousness, and to determine properly what is right and what is wrong. There are, indeed as we all know and have heard the media report, some cases in which youths of well-standing families turn awry and do things unexpected and violent.

* Click THE JUMP below to continue reading about how television, the Internet, and video games are not responsible for violence committed by youths.

THE JUMP – Read the rest of this entry »


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