The "Blue Day" Concept Is Important
The "Blue Day" concept is important
By: Jim Dumville
The Bugle-Observer
I have fond memories of growing up in a small village and attending a small, country school. The closeness of the community made making and keeping friends relatively easy. It was, in many ways, easier to be a big fish in a small pond. Bullies were seldom tolerated because word quickly spread beyond the school yard and parents became involved.
But bullying can appear innocent horseplay, especially to the bully and bystanders. In many cases younger children don't understand the pain they are inflicting on the target of their teasing.
I certainly was no bully in school. I'm proud to say I even stepped in to defend victims of bullying. That, however, doesn't mean I was innocent. I remember during my first year of school unfairly picking on the son of the school principal. The reason is simple. I was told to by the boys in the older grades. As a six-year-old, it felt pretty special to curry favour with those 12- and 13-year-old schoolmates.
It was only later I realized the unfairness of the situation. And since the principal and his family moved on to another school the following year, I never really found out the long-range impact of my attacking him on demand.
That Grade 1 experience is the only time I recall playing the role of a bully. And thankfully I don't recall any time spent as a victim.
All through school I felt comfortable in my surroundings. I always had close friends at my side, and while cliques existed I was lucky enough to be welcomed in most groups.
That was not the same for everyone. As I shared laughs, stories and plans with different groups of friends, I remember several loners who didn't seem to fit in with any group. As I look back, I wish I had worked harder to reach out to these people. But, I was unaware that bullying existed.
That's what makes the idea of the "Blue Day" proposed by local anti-bullying advocate and NBCC Woodstock student Robert Frenette so important. The first step to ending the problem of bullying is to make people aware it exists.
I encourage everyone, including school, municipal, provincial and federal government officials, to jump on board the "Blue Day" campaign. Frenette spent most of his life as a target of bullies. He did something about it. Not just for his own sake, but to help everyone – victims, bullies and bystanders – deal with the fallout of the problem. He and others involved in this campaign deserve our support.
