Letters: Confronting bullying at school
To the Editor:
In every high school, students feel that they have to impress or be different to fit in while dealing with drama and rumors. Whether they like the same sex, wear too much makeup, play on the football team, enjoy art, are a part of the cheerleading team, listen to rap, wear skinny jeans, talk differently, or even state their own beliefs, they will get judged for it. No matter how many clubs and organizations are developed at Kaneland High School to make you feel like you belong somewhere, nothing will prevent things being said about someone.
In reality, we all attend the same school and we should all get along. Though it may seem like what happens in high school won't matter when you're older, it will affect who you are and how you will act as you get older. Throughout the rest of your life, we are bound to experience social issues and social causes; this isn't just made for high school. High school is giving us insight to how can prepare ourselves for the future and how we should be able to act when we face these problems.
Teens may feel the need to bully because of their home life or past experiences. I may not know everything about everyone at Kaneland, but I’m positive a portion of the students at Kaneland have some sort of issues in their life. Students may feel that when they have to deal with issues at home, they have to somehow take their anger or their emotions out on someone at school. They may also have suicide thoughts built up inside of them, so they feel the need to bully others.
No one wants to be the nerd who gets shoved into the locker because he's on the chess team or the girl who gets excluded from lunch, because no one will let her sit at their table. Every day at Kaneland I see bullying affecting other students. If students are bullying others, they should realize how much it could affect the other person, not about how cool he/she looks doing it. Kaneland provides counselors for every student, where they are able to go in and talk to get advice, help, or ideas. By visiting a counselor, they may be able to guide you through what you’re feeling and be able to help and prevent you from bullying.
Students in the entire Kaneland district should take serious thought into what bullying really is. Ask yourself – is it worth bullying other students because you have your own problems? Is it worth taking the time of day to bother someone else because you want your popularity level to go up? Everyone attends school to learn, not to be picked on because of who they are.
Katherine Lucarelli
Sugar Grove
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