Stop the bullying

Dear Editor,

Do you have any idea of what is going on in your local schools during the day and at any other time that students come together for school, church, social, or any other activities that places people in close proximity of each others' company? This extends to the various communications systems that may be involved in a student's life such as cell phone usage, computer sites (my space), etc..

I am the grandmother of a student who is and has been being subjected to BULLYING for a number of years, and it has gotten to the point of threats to my grandchild's life. It is a sad day for me that I feel compelled to appeal to the local communities in the surrounding area to PLEASE BECOME AWARE OF WHAT MIGHT ALSO BE HAPPENING RIGHT UNDER YOUR NOSES in your particular community. What if this was your daughter, son, granddaughter, grandson, niece, nephew, or, for that matter, someone not related to you at all?? Doesn't everyone deserve to be able to feel safe and secure when he or she attends class and be able to concentrate on getting good grades instead of what SO AND SO just said to you that stresses you out and breaks your concentration in the classroom?

This area of Northwest Kansas is a heavily Christian society, and, yet, many of us don't seem to put into practice during the week what we hear when God speaks to us during the time we spend in attendance at our weekly church services. We are ALL GOD'S CHILDREN, so why don't we act like it and step up to the plate and support one another when we see the evils of bullying and other types of abuse going on in our communities. Teachers, Administrators, parents, friends, neighbors, and anyone else who is aware of this type of activity going on should let their voices be heard that it won't be tolerated in our schools and communities.

Our thought processes in this community seem to be that OH, WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING LIKE THAT GOING ON HERE SUCH AS WHAT HAPPENS IN THE BIGGER SCHOOLS!! Well, let me tell you, it is going on right under your noses and to the extent that I don't want it to become a casualty. Parents, please wake up and teach your children to treat everyone with courtesy. You don't have to LIKE everyone, but we are all God's children and should be treated with respect as such. Belittling someone else to the point of severe bullying just tells me and the world that the people responsible have so little self esteem that they have to try to derive an ego from stripping someone else of his or her dignity.

PLEASE WAKE UP AND STEP UP TO THE PLATE. Let's become a loving and caring community and help each other out to become the best that we can be.

Frieda Goetze

Oberlin