ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, August 15, 1996 TAG: 9608150042
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-10 EDITION: METRO
A BAN on student harassment by other students? Good luck.
The Roanoke School Board has tentatively approved such a policy, proposed by Superintendent Wayne Harris, and the intent is commendable. As Harris said: "Students should be able to go to school without being hassled by other students."
The difference between what should be and what often can be striking, though, and school is one of the first places youngsters will notice it. A mark of maturity - and an essential social skill, no matter what a person's race, religion or sex - is the ability to cope with rudeness and insults peacefully, with dignity and grace.
Unfortunately, no official policy is going to replace the need to learn that. A child who gets satisfaction from inflicting emotional wounds on others will find a time and place - outside of the hearing of disapproving adults, you can be sure. Painful as this is for the targets of such attacks (and their parents), some of this is part of growing up.
Society does children no favor if it raises them to expect that every wrong will be redressed.
Of course, teachers shouldn't turn a deaf ear to teasing and taunts. No school policy should be necessary to prompt any adult on the scene - teachers, aides, cafeteria workers, janitors, secretaries, whomever - to correct a child who is badgering another. This used to be thought of simply as teaching good manners.
Now, though, the Virginia School Boards Association says schools need an explicit policy against harassment. Maybe so.
While children should not grow up nursing every grievance, expecting tit for tat in all situations, neither should they be raised to feel as though they must meekly accept the role of helpless victim. When offenses go beyond the minor torments of childhood and adolescence to intimidation and serious harassment, students must know they can seek the protection of school authorities.
Psychological aggression should not be tolerated in schools any more than weapons or physical violence should be. No student should fear going to school - not for reasons like this. If it takes a formal ban on harassment to assure students they will be safe, so be it.
LENGTH: Short : 47 linesby CNB