Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Bullying

I am so angry right now, I can hardly see straight.

Mikro has been taking an art class that he really loved. Lately, he winds up coming out of the class to find me upset or in tears, He has become the target of a bunch of older mean girls.

Some of the nasty things to roll off their tongues include:

"You need psychological help."
"You have psychological problems."
"You have no life."
"You're a zero."
"What are you-- You're nothing,"

and a host of other petty insults, all directed at my kid, who is a nice little boy who was taught better than that. I think they target him because he's a homeschooler, and the rest of them go to public school or catholic school. I've told him to walk away from them, to tell them he doesn't like their behavior. And never to call names or hit (especially a girl) if there is any way to walk away.

Today was the no life/zero incident, and it was the straw that broke the camel's back. Mikro gets sent out to find me because he is upset. I had to pack up my laptop to go and talk to the teacher as requested. I pack up, start heading over, and Mikro comes over and tells me my presence is no longer required. He's going to sit in another room and use the computer.

So, the mean girls continue to make art and giggle together, while their victim is exiled. I'm done. I tell him to get his stuff and we're leaving. We get to the car, and I realize he does not have his project. So I send him to get it, and follow.

He goes in and I hear him telling the teacher he won't be back. So I poke my head in and say "I don't think it's productive for him to be here any longer."

Teacher: "He's not having fun anymore."

Me: "If you were tormented and tortured every week, I doubt you'd be having much fun either. I'm sorry, because he really enjoyed the class."

Teacher: "I've spoken to the girls. It's all in fun, they need to tone it down and he needs to be less sensitive."

Me: "He's done. I'm not going to bring my kid here every week to be bullied. Come on, Mikro, let's go home and have no life together. That was rude, girls, just rude." And off we went.

I am angry that the catty brats stayed and finished projects and were able to run off the nice kid. This is what always happens with bullies-- it is always made to be the victim's fault for being sensitive. No. It's the fault of the person acting like an jerk.

Just like women don't deserve it for being dressed in a sexy outfit, and black kids don't deserve it for wearing a hoodie, nice kids don't deserve to be abused because they aren't hardened to being treated like crap.

The fault in every single case lies with the abuser, not the victim.

6 comments:

~*~The Family~*~ said...

So sorry that happened to him, I guess the teacher is teaching those girls more than art. Sad that an adult would reinforce their behavior.

jugglingpaynes said...

How terrible. I'm so sorry this happened to Mikro. Anyone who says homeschoolers don't get bullied doesn't have all their facts. I can't believe the teacher defended them. That is as bad as bullying.

FairyLover said...

I'm so sorry Mikro had to deal with bullies. It's hard to be a decent kid in this world of idiots. And the teacher is no better than the girls. At least they have the hope of growing up to be human. The teacher is already past that.

We love you Mikro.
Kathi & Dakota

Garden State Kate said...

I am sorry he was given such a hard time. I wish I could say I am shocked the teacher was no help...((hugs))

Twinkle in New York said...

Chele! This is horrible. I am so sorry. I'm teaching a Socio-Drama residency at a Spec. Ed HS and we just started talking about bullying. It's amazing how much goes on. Appalling that the teacher condoned it and blamed Mikey. Ridiculous!

Twinkle, Brad, and Ezra


P.S. In my class,
we ended up calling the Stand Your Ground law the ultimate form of bullying for adults.

Jessica said...

That should never have been allowed to get to the stage it did, the teacher obviously had no idea how to pull the bullies into line and Mikro didnt deserve any of it (which you know).

It is always the victem that gets futher victemised. We have been there right before my eldest was removed from school and homeschooled.She was gang attacked by a group lead by the police officers daughter(these were 7 yr olds).The girl had bullied her all year so my daughter didnt give her a xmas card.The principle told her it was her fault she was attacked because of that:(

Mikro is better off away, which is not right because the bullies should be missing out.He is just so lucky to have such a caring mum who is willing to go into bat for him when he needs her most.

And he is blessed that he is being showed the right way, which obviously those girls were not.