Editor:
I would like to thank the editor for his thoughts about bullying in the March 4 edition of the Lakes District News. I personally commend especially the youth across this country in taking a leadership role on pink shirt day to raise awareness against bullying. An effective campaign against bullying must also include educated parents, workplaces and communities. Before you start saying we need to teach our kids to stand up for themselves like the “good old days.”
This issue is complicated and bullying comes at youth in many forms, many of which cannot be defended by ”the sword.” Parents need to be educated on a variety of bullying related topics and cannot leave prevention and support up to teachers and counsellors who have limited influence. How many parents want to string up the neighbourhood bully or confront the bully’s parents? This is the wrong approach in many situations. Do parents know the various roles that can be taken in bullying situations? Parents need to be educated about the symptoms of a child being bullied, the types of bullying that exist, and the various types of impacts bullying creates. Parents need to know proven strategies to talk about bullying with youth that will provide maximum support and minimize the impacts.
Parents are now responsible under legislation for the internet activity of children under 12 years of age including the unauthorized distribution of inappropriate photos including those sent from a cellphone.
Cyber bullying legislation is now clear and makes these activities a criminal offence, yet with social media cyber bullying is over the top in this country. Parents and the community need to be social watch dogs and set good examples with regard to these activities.
In 2013, there was also new workplace legislation passed in British Columbia to raise the awareness, and increase the requirements of workplace bullying prevention procedures and programs. Companies pay thousands of dollars on wellness programs to minimize work place absenteeism, and increase production yet they tend to want to minimize the importance of effective bullying awareness programs, by putting staff through a half hour online course if they can find one just to meet the minimum WorkSafeBC requirements. There is no dialogue about what constitutes a respectful workplace or what actually constitutes bullying. Often in traditional male dominated workplaces, and others, some of these activities are seen as everyday playful bantering. Bullying is about impact, not about intent.
There are effective education programs out there. Parents, workplaces and communities can have an impact by becoming effectively educated about bullying, and respectful communities and by giving meaning and support to youth who show leadership on pink shirt day.
James (Jim) David,
Burns Lake, B.C.
