Yesterday we celebrated "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" here in the USA. And it's always a bit sad to acknowledge that even here in this wonderful nation, there is still sometimes a monumental struggle to achieve the basic essence of these tenets. One of the things that is supposed to put us on a sure path to realizing the American Dream is the access to a decent education. But sometimes the very path that we must walk in order to reach our educational goals meanders through a forest of thorny vines and poisonous snakes that threaten to deter or even derail our journey completely. Unfortunately, it is not limited to adult education and often starts in the way we raise--or fail to raise compassionate children who lack empathy and respect for their peers. These same bullies go on to become insensitive, spiteful, abusive adults who show up in workplaces and academic halls of higher learning. Even more unfortunate is the fact that some of these bullies end up being very successful and landing in key position where they can continue to attempt to humiliate and abuse their victims of choice.
I saw the movie Central Intelligence yesterday. Amid the many laughs and action sequences one would expect from a film starring Dwayne The Rock Johnson and Kevin Hart, a major theme of the movie was the extreme bullying that may sometimes occur in school settings. While this was a fictional account, it could very well have been ripped right from the headlines of any of today's news agencies.
Sadly, this time also marks what would have been the 19th birthday of a young man who was the victim of extreme bullying in his school. It's been six years since I first learned about the tragic story of Jaheem Herrara and spoke to his tearful mother for a series of articles on bullying. I think now is an opportunity to remind others of the potentially devastating impact bullying may have--especially on children.
Now is the right time to #StandUpToBullying.
