Link Crew members performed a skit for Grade 8 students last week as part of Pink Shirt Day, a day when people stand up against bullying. Acting up, from left to right, are Sarah Titus, Dylan Parsons, Manpreet Dhaliwal, Alicia Thomson and Andi Lantz.
Lyonel Doherty photo
Sticks and stones will break my bones, but names will never hurt me.
That couldn’t be further from the truth, local students learned last week as part of Pink Shirt Day at Southern Okanagan Secondary School.
Members of Link Crew held an assembly for Grade 8 pupils in the drama studio.
They began by showing a YouTube video entitled “To This Day” by poet Shane Koyczan. In his video about bullying, he makes it clear that names truly hurt people.
The second video showed blind youth Molly Burke who endured frequent bullying in school while she was losing her eyesight.
“If you are being bullied, you will get through it. If you reach out, someone will listen,” she said.
Another video about cyberbullying warned people against using the website such as Snapchat.
The video encouraged individuals to stand up and fight these online viruses to protect the victims.
Drama teacher Alison Podmorow told the students that cyberbullying is an epidemic and urged them to think before they make comments online.
“Make sure that anything you say online is necessary, true and kind.”
Podmorow said her daughter was a victim of Ask.fm, where people are allowed to comment on others without revealing their identities.
“Don’t go on a site where you can anonymously talk about someone. That is ridiculous,” Podmorow said.
She said people should be getting attention from individuals they know by communicating face-to-face.
Link Crew member Sierra Hammond told the Chronicle that her nine-year-old brother was bullied to the point he didn’t want to go to school.
One time a group of boys ganged up on him and started hitting him, Hammond said.
“Some of the words they use . . . it’s vocabulary that even grown-ups shouldn’t use.”
Hammond said bullying is starting at a young age, noting her brother was subjected to it in Grade 1.
She stated the bullying continued even after involving the administrator and the parents.
Hammond said it hurts to see a loved one subjected to this kind of behaviour.
“I personally can’t help the situation, but I’m trying to get the word out,” she noted.
The Grade 12 student said some people don’t take the time to see the other side of the person they are hurting.
“Instead of shunning people for their differences, they should embrace them.”
Hammond said she has never been the victim of direct bullying, but she recalled some rumours that were hurtful.
What bothers her the most is when someone has a problem with another individual but doesn’t have the courage to speak to that person. Soon enough, the nasty rumours start flying.
Hammond said most bullying today occurs online.
Earlier this year there was a problem with a few Grade 12 girls on Ask.fm. “They were saying some terrible things,” Hammond noted.
She pointed out that some teachers in the school are incredible listeners who make themselves available for victims of bullying. “Everyone should have someone they can trust,” Hammond said.
The student agreed that bystanders can make the biggest impact by standing up for victims, instead of cheering the bully on.
Lyonel Doherty
Oliver Chronicle
