My most prominent memory of middle school health class is seeing posters that read, “Don’t stand by, stand UP.” They were meant to accompany films of children whose lunch money was stolen from their locker, or were pushed over in the hallway by a scary looking kid who always seemed to be at least six inches taller than the other students. We were taught to look for the warning signs of someone being bullied, all in efforts to help school become a safer place. The administration was then able to pat themselves on the back, having fulfilled their obligation to provide education around bullying in schools.
Now, as a junior in highschool, I’ve yet to see anybody be attacked in such a vicious and outright manner. However, this is not to say that I haven’t watched my friends experience various hardships throughout our years. The real culprits are usually not as noticeably intimidating, which results in their actions blindsiding you.
Schools place such an emphasis on no physical violence, no teasing, even focusing on jousting between friends. Curriculum tailored towards these issues was more relevant in the 70s and 80s. Retro TV shows such as “Full House” and “Boy Meets World” show depictions of the blatant bullying, peer pressure, and stereotyping that were major issues in middle and high schools everywhere.
As schools were focusing on refining their curriculum for these topics, new problems were arising. You’ll seldom see a fight or theft happen in the hallways anymore, but it’s completely within reason to still stumble upon somebody in tears. Educational programs need to be updated to reflect these new issues.
The real, far more deadly enemy that I’ve seen throughout my time in middle and high school are abusive relationships. Physical threats and violence are an obvious way to make a person feel fear and intimidation. It’s much easier to recognize, and thus, address. The emotional manipulation that is present in abusive relationships is much more subtle.
It can be extremely difficult to see the warning signs of toxicity in a relationship, whether it be platonic or romantic. Emotional manipulation is much harder to discern. This is in part due to the presence of gaslighting (psychological manipulation that causes someone to question their own judgment) which can lead to cognitive dissonance (when someone’s thoughts don’t correspond with their actions). Sadly, there is little to no discussion around these two topics in middle or high school bullying education.
Additionally, microaggressions based on race, gender, and sexuality also run rampant in high school hallways. Many times, these aren’t explicit examples of discrimination and hate, but rather more subtle prejudices that can make minority students feel uncomfortable and targeted. While I’ll acknowledge that there’s been a recent push for increased literacy in these areas, there’s still much work to be done.
It’s essential that schools make a more concerted effort for their educational programs to reflect the issues of the current time period. The repercussions include a diminished sense of self worth, confidence, and ability to trust, especially for young minds that are still developing. Beginning preventative education in middle school can save students from the lasting effects of being involved in negative situations such as these.
