Students take stand against bullying

“Respect is what you choose or you will lose,” declared a bright yellow sign designed by students from Leonora Delville Primary School. The slogan was among several similar messages displayed on banners on Friday at the Multi-purpose Sports Complex as at least nine schools attended a pep rally to culminate Anti-Bullying Week 2024.

Though a thunderstorm rained out a march through Road Town earlier in the morning, the pep rally proceeded as planned, with students performing songs, dances and cheers starting at around 11:30 a.m.

They also watched a presentation by guest speaker Kimberly Ritter, who invited volunteers on stage to talk about their experiences with bullying.

“Bullying has the ability to ruin [someone’s] life,” Ms. Ritter said at the event.

Elmore Stoutt High School students display a banner with the words “choose respect” while attending a pep rally marking the end of Anti-Bullying Week. (Photo: ALLISON VAUGHN)

In addition to the pep rally, the week of activities included speech competitions, an “odd socks day,” assemblies and other events, according to government.

Liana Taylor, a counsellor for Ivan Dawson Primary and Enid Scatliffe Pre-primary schools, told the Beacon that the goals of Anti-Bullying Week included raising awareness about a problem that is all too prevalent.

“First of all, we want to make sure everybody knows just how widespread bullying is and just how many people are victims; how many people are bullies,” Ms. Taylor said. “And we also want to get our students involved in fighting against bullying, because it’s everywhere and they are affected by it. So, basically, letting people know how bad it is and helping the students actually be involved in eradicating it.”

Five students from Leonora Delville Primary School told the Beacon that bullying is not uncommon in their experience.

The four sixth-graders — Cataleya Chinnery, Ebony Sanderson, Ijanae Farrington and Skye Boncamper — and fifth-grader Kataliya Hodge said they have witnessed name-calling, pushing, hitting, and talking about people behind their backs.

Though they didn’t think Anti-Bullying Week would necessarily stop the problem, they did think it would help encourage people to speak up when they see it happening.

Five students from Leonora Delville Primary School are among many students who attended the Friday pep rally that culminated Anti-Bullying Week 2024. From left to right are Cataleya Chinnery, Ebony Sanderson, Ijanae Farrington, Kataliya Hodge and Skye Boncamper. (Photo: ALLISON VAUGHN)

‘Really subtle’

Ms. Taylor said some forms of bullying are easy for school authorities to spot, but others are not so obvious.

“It’s very easy to see the physical bullying,” she said. “When there’s fights, someone picking on somebody else, shoving, taking things away: Those are easy to spot. Also, like name calling, insults, taunting: We can see those. But sometimes it can be really subtle, like just excluding somebody. Sometimes it could be cyberbullying that we don’t know about unless we are in the same online spaces as our students. And let’s be honest, we’re not always doing that.”

‘Choosing respect’

Three Jost Van Dyke Primary School fourth-graders told the Beacon that they thought the week would help stop bullying.

“It’s all about choosing respect,” Decklan Sylcotte said, adding that the bullying he has experienced made him feel “very sad.”

Sometimes he tells his friends what happened, which helps because “they will either tell [the bully] to stop or tell a teacher,” he said.

His classmates Lea Ruffinz and Remington Pickering said that they would tell their parents if they experienced bullying.

Three Jost Van Dyke Primary School fourth-graders explain who they would tell if they experienced bullying. From left to right are Decklan Sylcotte, Lea Ruffinz and Remington Pickering. (Photo: ALLISON VAUGHN)

Outside schools

Ms. Taylor said that bullying exists in every school.

“You will not be able to go to any school anywhere and find students who are not bullied,” Ms. Taylor said.

She also emphasised that bullying exists outside of schools as well.

“What’s even more concerning is that it’s not just schools,” she said. “This is workplaces as well. This is homes. It’s neighbourhoods. It’s churches. It’s really hard to find a social environment where there isn’t some form of bullying. It’s super prevalent.”

‘Love and trust’

Ms. Taylor added that fostering an environment of “love and trust” can help address the issue of bullying.

“You have to make yourself open for your children to talk to you so that they will be willing to come to you and tell you what’s going on,” she said. “That means you have to shut up and listen, a lot.”

She further emphasised the importance of understanding the circumstances surrounding children’s behaviour.

Listening to kids

“You have to make sure you really understand what is going on, why something happened. Not everything needs punishment,” she said. “And that is the part that I’m still not sure exactly how to tell parents this — but, yeah, your child messed up, but just because they messed up doesn’t mean you have to retaliate with punishment. They did something because they’re trying to meet a need. What is that need? Can you help your child meet that need? Because that could be the solution to the problem.”