I Remember You...

Bullying. 

We hear about it, we see it in the news, I hear about it as a counselor, and I remember my own experiences in school related to bullying.  According to the Georgia Department of Education, the definition of bullying is:

Bullying 

In accordance with O.C.G.A. § 20-2-751.4, bullying means an act which occurs on school property, on school vehicles, at designated school bus stops, or at school related functions or activities, or by use of data or software that is accessed through a computer, computer system, computer network, or other electronic technology of a local school system, that is: 1) Any willful attempt or threat to inflict injury on another person, when accompanied by an apparent present ability to do so; 2) Any intentional display of force such as would give the victim reason to fear or expect immediate bodily harm; or 3) Any intentional written, verbal, or physical act, which a reasonable person would perceive as being intended to threaten, harass, or intimidate, that: i. Causes another person substantial physical harm within the meaning of O.C.G.A. § 16-5-23.1 or visible bodily harm as defined in O.C.G.A. § 16-5-23.1; ii. Has the effect of substantially interfering with a student’s education; iii. Is so severe, persistent, or pervasive that it creates an intimidating or threatening education environment; or iv. Has the effect of substantially disrupting the orderly operation of the school.

In the news today, I heard Winona Ryder's story of bullying.  She said she was called homophobic slurs and was beat up in the bathroom.  Ryder reported that she got kicked out of school, not the girls who hurt her.  Years later she ran into one of the girls in a coffee shop.  The girl ran up to Ryder and asked her for an autograph.  Ryder said "Do you remember me?  Remember in 7th grade you beat up that kid"?  The girl replied, "Kind of."  Ryder responded, "Well that was me."  The article I read (people.com) didn't say whether or not the girl got her autograph.  I'm guessing...no.

If you see something, say something.  This phrase applies to so many unfortunate possibilities in society now.  It applies to bullying too.  Please, tell someone if you feel that you are being bullied.  Know and understand the true definition.  If you see someone being teased, help them.  Tell an adult.  Tell someone who can help.  

Winona Ryder is 46 years old and she is still carrying around that memory.  The girl in the coffee shop barely remembered it.  It doesn't seem right.  It isn't right.  As a counselor, we are trained to keep our personal information private, so I can't really share too much of my own experience.  I can tell, however, that I still remember their faces and names.  I wonder if they remember mine.  

Additional resources:

StopBullying.gov

www.Pacer.org

www.tolerance.org

https://www.glsen.org/article/bullying-prevention-resources

NotMyKid.org