Be Pro-Active and Take a Stand Against Bullying

The recent death of a 12 year old as he battled his injuries for weeks in an induced coma has sparked an outcry to have more kids protected while in school. While the school has already suspended the 2 boys responsible for the sustained injuries of Bailey O’Neill, 12, empathizers are crying for stricter school standards about peer violence.

According to accounts, Bailey was being challenged to a fight but refused to do so. Afraid of getting suspended, Bailey refused, but was pushed from behind and was struck in the head 5 times.

Days after complaining of headaches and dizziness, he was rushed to the hospital. He later began having seizures, which forced doctors put him into an induced coma.

Authorities have yet to conclude whether Bailey was being bullied. According to Jina Risoldi (Bailey’s mother), schools officials have prior knowledge of the assailant’s history of bullying other kids.

Read the full story here in Y! News

Empowering Our Children Through Jiu-Jitsu

While the said incident remains to be yet officially called a bullying case, I am left to wonder how anyone can perceive of it as otherwise. The elements of bullying are present. Regardless if some call it as an assault, I am going to call it bullying nevertheless. The fact remains that bullying is still prevalent (no matter how official and politically correct everyone tries to be).

Here’s the rub: there are two alternatives to solve the issue. One is through a passive approach, and the other one is through an active approach.

To bully proof or not to bully proof? That is the question.

To bully proof is to give kids the ability to stand up, and fend for themselves when the need rises. To NOT  bully proof is to leave the protection to school administrators and teachers.

A very confusing conundrum. It even dances between the bounds of ethics for some under the subject of defending one’s self.

Bully proofing kids is not all about the physical confrontation and the use of force. In bully proofing, kids learn the psychology of an attacker and to use physical force as last resort, and only when the need arises. To bully proof kids, it requires instilling new knowledge and skills in handling situations unfamiliar such as confrontations and more.

To not bully proof leaves the protecting to school officials, and the system. The system may have worked at times, but the approach is reactive and passive altogether.

Two choices. Two alternatives to resolve an issue that has (to caption the obvious)  has been plaguing schools not only in the United States, but all over the world. In the end, everybody hopes for better conditions for children to grow up in.

In order to take a stand against bullying, we need to be proactive. We need to help our kids by preparing them. Gracie Barra is a family that campaigns against bullying. This is an organization that used the gentle art of jiu-jitsu to help bully-proof kids all over the world.
GB promotes self-esteem and discipline, which helps kids in all aspects of their lives. If we teach our kids how to defend when the need arises, we are showing them that they are not helpless. We are telling the kids that they can do something about it.