Bullying: The Unacceptable Norm
A true story. By Braedan S.
Everyday, bullying is getting bigger and bigger in schools in the United States. In fact, over 3.2 million students are victims of bullying each year. That is over 100 schools in the nation that have had incidences regarding bullying. With so many types of bullying, such as verbal, physical, covert, and cyberbullying, it is easy to find at least one victim in a school.
As I went through 7th grade, I was getting bullied on a day to day basis. Everyday, I couldn’t focus on my school work or being with my friend because I felt unsafe. I was too scared to tell my parents or my teachers because I thought that the bully would take it beyond verbal abuse. However, one day took it over the top. I was walking down the hall, I could see him, hanging out with his friends. The only way I could get to my class was by walking passed him, but then he would notice me for sure. I had no choice but to charge through and hope he did not see me. I could see the door but I was too slow and he realized that I was by him. He put his hand on my shoulder and swung me around so I was looking into his ice cold eyes. There was no way I could have gotten away. He had sharp red hair and the kind of face that made you uneasy. Before I could even reach, he punched me in the stomach, bringing me to the ground. Walking off with his group of overgrown, hairy apes, I found myself sprawled on the floor with what seemed like a hole in my stomach. I was much smaller at the time and had no muscles, so it was getting harder and harder to defend myself. When on the floor and in my own little world, I felt a hand grab onto my shoulder.

At first I thought for sure that it was the leader of the group, but as I looked up, I saw my best friend. He said to me, “Don’t worry about those guys, they're just doing that because they can’t feel good about themselves. Just remember that you need to keep looking forward and your friends and family will be there to help you along the way.” After that, I realized that people who are getting bullied just need to tell someone and they will get better.
Over two-thirds of students believe that schools respond poorly to bullying, with a high percentage of students believing that adult help is infrequent or ineffective. Well, this is your chance parents and schools. Start to take more notice in what's going on at school and take it into your own hands. And students, don’t be afraid to tell someone because all it will do is help you. Bullying is getting serious. Kids have taken their lives because they feel unsafe. Lets prevent that and start moving to a brighter future where bullying is scarce.