During the week of Sept. 17to the 21, the Downey Unified School District participated in spreading a message that told victims of bullying that they are not alone, as bullying has resulted in tragedy to people across the globe. Anti-Bully Week was a way to inform people who are victims of bullying that there are people who are against it.
“They [those who are bullied] haven’t forgotten. They may be nice to you, but they haven’t forgotten,” Stephen Sanders said as he addressed Anti-Bully Week to his AP Euro class. He was speaking about a theoretical kid that “everybody” bullied going to a high school reunion.
His students briefly talked amongst themselves after he said this, because most of the students know a kid that is commonly bullied. Sanders then went on to say that in his high school years he was a witness to people being bullied, but he regretfully didn’t do anything to stop it. The class then erupted and gave Sanders comments of disapproval, showing that the class was well aware of the negative effects that bullying can result in.
Though people may not see it, victims of bullying are all around. ASB had an opportunity to take Anti-Bully Week to another school in the district with help from the cheerleaders. ASB member Karen Gill, 12, is one of the active members who made sure Anti-Bully Week was well known not only at Downey, but at Gallatin Elementary School as well.
“We also helped Gallatin because they asked us to make posters for them, so we helped them out,” Gill said,” and I know the cheerleaders went and had a little performance for them.”
ASB agreed to help of helping Gallatin because they felt it was important to get the message out that bullying is wrong, even to people who possibly haven’t been exposed to it yet. Getting this message out to younger elementary students that might not have seen this yet gives them an early start to an anti-bully view of life. Giving these elementary students these views will hopefully rid them of the immoral characteristics that lead to bullying.
Director of Activities for ASB, Gordon Weisenburger, played a part in bringing Anti-Bully Week to Downey High School.
“I don’t know if there’s going to be a real end to it, but because kids are being bullied, we felt that there should be a week designated to helping to stop it,” Weisenburger said.
Weisenburger and ASB are only a few of the people at Downey High School who believe that there needs to be a stop to the pestering of countless students. ASB worked towards spreading the message by putting up posters around campus that promoted anti-bullying with the intention of being noticed. They also made announcements about anti-bullying that sometimes included stories or quotes. Although there may not be a certain way in getting rid of bullies for good, prevention is possible.
Anti-Bully Week gives more reason to efforts that are given in stopping verbal and physical hate aimed at people who haven’t done anything to deserve it. Downey High School realizes the importance of these efforts, so that is why it is active in fighting it. Downey may not be able to stop it, but won’t stop trying to prevent it.
