"POVERTY AND SCHOOL BULLYING"
Poverty makes a difference in one's life! Poverty makes for a "difference" in a student's life!Any "difference" increases a student's chance of being a victim of school bullying. The entire "KIND CLASSES" Help Stop School Bullying network - Facebook group, website, IPEACE group - as well as EMPATHY EMAILS- campaign, Facebook group, website - was inspired by a financially challenged student.I hesitate to use the term - a student in poverty - because of its connotations. Relative poverty can not compare to absolute poverty! Superficial poverty is not an indicator of emotional or spiritual poverty! One can be materially poor and rich in relationships, inspiration and spirit! We can not make the generalization that all students of meagre means will be victims of school bullying. The "difference' though puts them at risk! The "difference" can even at times cause bullying actions as students react to frustration. We sometimes observe external conflicts within society morphing into school violence. Living in poverty, however, does not mean that one will have to face the challenges of school bullying.
School bullying, however, does put one in a state of poverty - even where no poverty of any sort was present before the trauma. If we examine the definitions of poverty we can recognize the effects of school bullying. Poverty is defined as depriving one of the ability to learn. Victims of school bullying sometimes try to avoid school. Some victims find they can no longer cope in the hostile company of school bullies. Poverty is defined as being deprived of the respect of one's fellow citizens. Victims of school bullying feel isolated and excluded from their peers. School bullying further diminishes one's capacity to participate and to develop meaningful relationships with others.
War is sometimes the cause of poverty. Victims of school bullying are on their own battleground every day in our schools.They get wounded and sometimes as in all wars - they die! School bullying is often fatal - through homicide or bullycide! School bullying, war, genocide and all human rights abuses which lead to poverty and death have the same core cause - lack of empathy for others. A student who is not in poverty becomes poverty-stricken as a result of school bullying!
Stand Up To Poverty!
Stand Up To School Bullying!
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