School Administrators Need to Get Their Heads Out of Their Asses
I was doing a speech at a high school in Connecticut. After I was done speaking and most of the students left, a girl came up to me. She told me she had been struggling with depression and suicidal thoughts for several years, ever since she was raped. She showed me the cuts on her wrists.
She also explained that her school administrators came across as indifferent and apathetic when she was seeking help. I appreciated her mentioning that my speech helped her, seeing how someone like myself went through extreme depression and came out on the other side. I’d been bullied in both high school and college. It wasn’t until my mid-twenties that I finally learned to stand up for myself. I understood what she was experiencing because the administrators at my high school were also apathetic.
School administrators need to get their heads out of their asses and start talking to and caring for the students at their schools. My mom’s a teacher and I have the utmost respect for teachers — it’s a lot of work. With that said, there are some (not all, but some) school teachers and administrators who aren’t taking the time to get to know their students and make a difference in their lives.
Bullying, including cyberbullying, is an epidemic. Students are committing suicide. Our schools still aren’t safe. It’s time for a change in the way our schools are run. The level of unconsciousness and apathy in schools is sickening.
Here’s an article on how to deal with bullies and cope when people are cruel. Feel free to share it with others.
Jeff Davis is an award-winning author and authentic leadership expert. To learn how to deal with extremely difficult bullies, check out his book The Power of Authentic Leadership: Activating the 13 Keys to Achieving Prosperity Through Authenticity.
