BULLYING, ANYONE?

Expository Essay by John Carl M. Galendez

“Bullying is cool.”

That phrase has never been said by anyone. So ironic. Ever. Especially those of us who
have dealt with the issue of bullying. Moreover, bullying is said to be one of the increasing cases
in school. Students that have experienced bullying would come home from school with the same
daily report: Tons of homework, zero friends. Bullying has come up from just a little issue to a
serious and tragic problem. As the case increases there must be an act of restricting this issue.

According to Republic Act 10627 or the Anti-Bullying Act of 2013, school institutions
should raise policies to avoid and address the acts of minor violence which is bullying. It
encourages schools to prohibit bullying and have a disciplinary management authoritative
approval against the one who bullies or as called “perpetrator”. Under the disciplinary sanction
it’s a must for the perpetrator to undergo a rehabilitation program to be managed by the school
concerned then so are the parents also be encouraged to participate. Due to the incidents of
retaliation, schools are not only expected to raise policies but also to be a huge part of the act by
educating students, guardians and parents about the “dynamics of bullying” as well as to instruct
how to report bullying incidents.

In order to inform students and other personnel inside the school, the school’s anti-bullying
method of action shall be posted in school bulletin boards and published in the student’s
handbook. In spite of that, if bullying is found to have occurred, the stipulated school principal is
the one to handle retaliation cases and expected to urge investigation and reports to take the
necessary methods. This comprise notifying law enforcement agencies if criminal charges may
be overcome against the perpetrator, taking the appropriate corrective or disciplinary
management action, and informing the parents and guardians of the victim and perpetrator.
Department of Education will be prescribing the appropriate administrative sanctions on school
administrators who fail to comply with the requirements of the law.

Victims of bullying that are spat on, cursed at, and threatened could became their own
expert on avoiding and eventually standing up to some of the biggest bullies in their schools.
Being “invulnerable”, bullying could be stopped. These are some of the things that can help: Keep
your confidence, a perpetrator has his or her own core which is insecurity; Kill them with kindness,
essentially, bullies are just mean people which little kindnesses add up and bullies began to stop
when they realized they could no longer get a rise out of you; Pray for a friend to have on your
back, God will bring you friends in ways you’d never expect!; Being faithful, because God sees
the specific circumstances you’re dealing with, He knows the very pain that you are going through.
These things are helpful as from the New Zealand Christian Group.