I was bullied as a teen. As an adult, I’ve come to realize almost everyone has been bullied as a child, so of course, now I feel more “normal”. But at the time, I was terrified. The girls who tormented me rode on my bus and would incessantly scream obscenities at me. When I walked off the bus, they would throw things out the window, spit at me, and call me horrible names (some of which I didn’t even know the meaning). I was pushed and shoved and made to feel worthless.
The movie “Bully” seeks to shed light on the behavior of mean boys and girls and start a meaningful dialogue between students, teachers and parents affected by bullying. However, the Motion Picture Association of America recently rated the movie “R” so it may not be screened in schools, the one place it could really make a difference.
Like Seth Myers and Amy Poehler, I want to ask, “Really?!?”
[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjjeHeAzZZM%5DPlease watch the trailer and then sign a change.org petition by teenager Katy Butler asking the MPAA to give “Bully” a PG-13 rating. The rating was given for language—but this is the language of the bully, and to censor it would lessen the impact of the message.
As a footnote, I recently learned that the girl who led the bullying against me has been in jail for years. Karma? No. I think she needed more help than I did. Let’s remember that the bullies may be going through difficult times at home and their anger is an outlet and a call for help.
Thanks so much for reading.
As a children's book author and mother of two, I'm pushing a stroller along the path to publication. I collect shiny doodads on the journey and share them here. You've found a kidlit treasure box.
22 comments
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February 28, 2012 at 2:36 pm
laurasalas
Done! Thanks for making me aware of this, Tara!
February 28, 2012 at 2:36 pm
Brian
Even people who, as an adult, may make you angry… realize they are suffering. There are no villains (mostly). Just some people are more “in the matrix” than the rest of us. I think for everyone realizing this is powerful. : )
February 28, 2012 at 2:42 pm
Sue Heavenrich
Would be nice if we could rate actuall bullying X – for “un-X-eptable”
Bullying is not a “stage” that kids go through – it is violence plain and simple. But look at some of the parents and you see why kids act/react the way they do.
February 28, 2012 at 2:42 pm
Joanna
This is a film worth promoting, Tara, thanks.
February 28, 2012 at 3:18 pm
Lynn
I , too, was bullied .. briefly by one person who was supposed to be my friend in elementary school. Later on the school bus to high school two other girls made that hour-long ride miserable for me. I was an easy target, small, painfully shy and afraid. I wonder if there were other incidences that I blocked from my memory.
Hearing and reading about kids being bullied makes me feel ill. I have signed, Tara. Bless you.
February 28, 2012 at 3:55 pm
Julie
Thanks for raising awareness about this. I’ll certainly go sign the petition.
February 28, 2012 at 4:02 pm
Diane Kress Hower
Thank You for this post. I was bullied. I have worked as a counselor to educate kids, parents, and school districts about bullying. Having this movie rated R misses the “boat” of meeting needs of our society today.
February 28, 2012 at 4:05 pm
flamedashes
Reblogged this on Sms|DesiRe.
February 28, 2012 at 4:08 pm
Tara Lazar
Thanks for sharing!
February 28, 2012 at 4:38 pm
Christie Wild
What a powerful trailer! I never felt bullied. Maybe picked on a bit from time to time. There sure is a fine line. I signed the petition and just sent it to a bunch of my facebook friends.
February 28, 2012 at 5:23 pm
clarbojahn
As a new immigrant I was different from everyone. I even had to learn English and there was no ESL back then. We arrived at our new home by train on a Friday night and we started school on Monday. I didn’t know how to ask how to go to the bathroom. yes, I was bullied. Kids pick on anyone different from themselves.
I’ll sign the petition gladly. Thanks for the chance. 🙂
February 28, 2012 at 5:41 pm
jackie
Thanks for sharing this…sharing this info with all my FB friends. I was bullied too. This looks like the type of film that children would really respond to.
February 28, 2012 at 6:11 pm
jerseymo2010
All done, thanks for highlighting this!
February 28, 2012 at 6:39 pm
Cindy
Thank you for bringing this to our attention, Tara. I’ve had my share of taunting etc. and would cross the street to avoid two girls who specialized in tormenting younger kids. One bully from my high school eventually committed suicide. These bullies basically hate themselves, and I believe need some counseling.
February 28, 2012 at 8:58 pm
Ellen L. Ramsey
Thanks for highlighting this problem and letting us know about the petition. Certainly schools ought to be able to show this movie and use it as part of their programs to stop bullying.
February 29, 2012 at 10:20 am
KAthy Higgs-Coulthard
Thanks for sharing this, Tara. I wish the kids at my son’s school would be required to view it.
February 29, 2012 at 10:38 am
Jenn DesAutels
Thanks Tara. I don’t have a lot to add to the previous comments although I can echo some of them. I will sign the petition. I have wondered how bullying and “picking on” can be stopped and never realized that it was so prevalent. I can’t wait to see the movie.
February 29, 2012 at 4:46 pm
Gail Handler
I signed the petition. This is a dialogue that needs to held in schools. I was bullied in elementary school by a neighbor’s older brother. Thirty + years later, I reconnected with the neighbor online. Her brother sent me an email and APOLOGIZED for bullying me all those years ago. That was amazing. It said to me that the bullys are effected by their actions as well.
February 29, 2012 at 11:20 pm
Tracy
Thanks Tara for pointing this out. I will sign the petition. I was teased for most of my early school years for being short (and whatever additional reasons the other kids could think of). It wasn’t until I punched a boy in the nose for teasing me that he stopped, and so did the other kids. But, guess who got in trouble for punching? That’s right, me.
A2ZMommy and What’s In Between
March 3, 2012 at 5:20 am
Melissa
I absolutely agree that the bullies are the one’s exhibiting a behaviour that cries for help. It’s the first sign in our society that says – I can’t tolerate people different from me, (everyone must be the same). These are the people who are afraid to be themselves because something in their environment has punished them for “being different”. They want to punish others in the same way. I believe there is more. It’s not this simple. We need the dialogue because it is not “just kids being kids”. It’s mean and unsympathetic.
March 7, 2012 at 2:57 pm
Kevin Michaels
Tara-
Thanks for bringing this to light….a great trailer and a topic close to my heart.
I could go off on one of my rants about the MPAA, but the bigger picture is that this is a more widespread problem than people think and one that has long-lasting scars that don’t disappear in time. Not only should kids be required to watch this in school, but more parents need to understand that this isn’t just “kids being kids” as Melissa noted above. The effects and consequences of bullying are too often tragic..
March 11, 2012 at 5:12 pm
viviankirkfield
Oh Tara,
Thank you a million times for this post. I found it by accident because Tracy started following me on Twitter…and when I went to her page, I saw this tweet there…something led me to it, I guess.
You are so right…this is a wide-spread problem…I would actually call it an epidemic in the schools and playgrounds. And of course, I agree with the other comments that point out that the child who is doing the bullying is the one who is crying out for help.
Every parent, child AND teacher should see this film…sad to say, there are some teachers who turn a blind-eye to bullying…perhaps they just “accept” it as “normal”. We all have experienced some teasing, to a greater or lesser degree as we grow up…and even that is not right. But the levels of bullying have escalated in the last 10 years, and parents and teachers need to act NOW! If a two or three year old exhibits bullying behavior, that is the time to step in, stop it and assess why it is happening and provide the help that is needed. Unfortunately, some parents and teachers are bullies themselves…I know, I know…but I am a parent and teacher myself, so I am allowed to say that:)…and children observe and learn!
I will sign the petition and tweet and post this to my FB page.
I’m part of Susanna Leonard Hill’s PPBF and a couple of weeks ago I posted Oliver Button is a Sissy (about teasing and bullying) and this week I posted One of the Problems of Everett Anderson (about child abuse…which is an extreme form of parental bullying)…parents and teachers can find a list of picture book and activity resources for kids on Susanna’s page…there are several that address the topic of bullying.
http://susannahill.blogspot.com/p/just-right-books.html
Sorry this was such a long comment…but I am passionate about this issue!