Being bullied or teased is frustrating because it can make you feel helpless, said Elmore Stoutt High School student Keniyeh Hill. You try to ignore it, but somehow it still seems to get you down, the 12-year-old told an audience of hundreds of fellow secondary school students during a youth forum last Thursday.
“Bullying is something that you can’t keep to yourself,” Ms. Hill said. “Talk about it. Go to your parents, the principal, anyone you think you can be comfortable with, because when you keep all that in, and you feel like no one can understand, it drives you crazy.”
Ms. Hill said that since opening up about her own experiences being bullied, she feels like she’s released a pressure valve.
“It helps you feel relaxed when you’re letting out the stress,” she added.
She also had some sympathy for the bullies.
“I think bullying is just a way of some kids to release their anger,” Ms. Hill said, adding that she hopes bullies will find another way to deal with their feelings.
“No matter how angry you are, you’re never that angry that you want to hurt somebody or cause them injury,” she said. “Talk about it. You don’t have to use your fists to resolve problems. That’s never the right answer.”
See the Oct. 9 2014 edition for full coverage.
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