Editorial Page – Our Opinion
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
The Golden Rule is as simple to follow as it is to remember. Even more simply, it means treat others the way you want to be treated. Most people are taught it from a very early age.
This past week, there was a report of a young student in a neighboring county who committed suicide because he was bullied because of his weight.
Today we can’t turn on the television or radio or open a newspaper without seeing these tragic stories of lives lost due to bullying. Remember Rutgers student Tyler Clementi who cut his life short Sept. 22 because classmates made fun of his sexuality?
But it has been taken to new extremes with the Internet and technological advances.
Students aren’t just getting harassed in the hallways of school anymore. They come home, a place where they should feel safe, and see comments on sites like Facebook or Twitter and receive hurtful text messages.
Not only do we need to hold individuals responsible for their actions treating others with the same respect they want but the parents and school community need to take preventative measures, as well.
Parents need to instill these lessons in their own children as well as take precaution if they notice red flags. If talking to your own child is not enough, recruit a school counselor or child therapy professional.
As far as school systems go, while there needs to be a “zero tolerance” policy in place, parents and professionals need to be contacted if need be.
There needs to be zero tolerance across the board. Lets work together to make that happen.