Change of Tune
May 19, 2008 at 10:46 pm
I have been known to comment that I’m envious of ‘the kids’ these days. They live in a wired world; it is all they know. When I read about educators like Ewan McIntosh and how they are positively using technology in the classroom, I think wistfully to the ‘drumming in’ method of learning I was subjected to and go – wow…
I’ve just watched the Prime Time programme on bullying in schools, including cyber bullying, and I think it’s time to change my tune. Despite what the media may call it, it was not all about cyber bullying; in my opinion, it was the mobile phone rather than Bebo that was the facilitator in many cases.
So while things haven’t changed -the predominant name-calling for girls is still ‘slut’; anyone who’s slightly different gets singled out for attack – the ones who refuse to conform, or the kids who are a little larger or look different. What struck me most vehemently was that now it’s non-stop. These poor kids can no longer escape because the abuse continues to happen. Threatening SMS’s all times of day and night. Fights that are never over because they are passed around and published on Youtube and Bebo. There for all the world to see. It’s no longer a case of getting home and getting away from it until the next day at school or on the bus. Because those little feckers that do the bullying are insidious – they’re on Bebo bad-mouthing, they’re posting embarrassing footage to youtube. They’re reinforcing their message of fear through texts.
My heart went out (and my eyes overflowed) for the boys from Donegal. They are so brave and deserve the utmost of respect for going public on this. They are more ‘Men’ than their principal is. Hopefully some of their classmates who have seen this programme will also come round to perceiving them in this way.
Comments (2 responses)
was it better when the receiver of bullying could temporarily escape it? Would they not be better off now because they can’t escape it, so have to deal with it?
in previous bullying there was no audit trail, now there is a verifiable one, these bullies are not cloaking IPs, data is traceable, digital graffiti is, tipex on the phone box is not.
I think there is an argument that these modern hi-tech outlets allow for an updated zero tolerance attack on bullying but society can’t keep pace with tech, and that should never be tech’s fault, society needs to change its tolerance to this and not just because of its prevalence and ever presence but because now we can & should trace and end it.
i didn’t see the programme on Prime Time.
Extremely good points you make there Brian. Perhaps someone should educate the teachers/principals in simple ip tracing techniques? In fact, that would be 1 serious good deed for the day to run a free workshop….
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