Bullying is a serious issue that hurtsour kids and threatens their future. It goes against the values I believe weshare —respect, responsibility, and looking out for one another. Students whoare bullied often end up struggling with anxiety, depression, and lowself-esteem, which makes it harder for them to succeed in school and live up totheir potential. We can’t let our schools become places of fear. They need tobe places where kids feel safe, supported, and able to grow.
The effects of bullying can last alifetime. Victims may continue dealing with mental health struggles as adults,and those who bully may find themselves on the wrong side of the law. Earlyaction is key to protecting our children and making sure schools are safeplaces where everyone has the chance to succeed.
We know it’s better to prevent aproblem before it starts. That’s common sense, and it’s the Cheyenne way. Weshould focus on stopping bullying before it even happens. We also know thatbullying often happens out of sight—whether in the hallways, bathrooms, oronline. Many kids are scared to speak up about it, and others don’t know how tostep in or are afraid of getting involved. While our schools might not have allthe resources we need, like enough counselors or training for staff, we stillhave to do what we can with what we’ve got, while working on increasing neededresources. Doing nothing is not an option.
It takes everyone—parents, teachers,students, and the community—to tackle bullying. Our schools need to be focusedon building good character, teaching respect and personal responsibility. Weneed clear policies against bullying, and there should be serious consequenceswhen someone breaks those rules. Parents and kids need to know how to reportbullying, and we should all be trained to recognize it and put a stop to it.The goal is to raise young people who aren’t afraid to stand up for what’sright and support each other.
Schools also need to make sure theyhave enough counseling and mental health resources. Students who need helpshould have access to it. We want our children to understand the importance oftreating others well, taking responsibility for their actions, and caring fortheir neighbors.
As a former principal, I knowfirsthand how tough it can be to deal with bullying. It takes time, patience,and sometimes uncomfortable confrontations, but it’s necessary. If we cometogether as a community, we can make a real difference. Empathy and our sharedvalues should guide our actions—helping the victims now and preventing othersfrom suffering down the road. As one of the greatest teachings reminds us: Soin everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, and love yourneighbor as yourself. If we live by these principles, we can make our schools abetter place for everyone.
