This may be the cutest campaign against bullying on the Internet. But there’s nothing cute about bullying itself, and it’s a huge topic in the news today as intimidation and cruelty among young people has been enhanced in recent years by the use of digital technology and social media.
This recent story of a 14-year-old Missouri middle school student who hanged herself because of relentless bullying by classmates is not an isolated event. Bullying, a pattern of intentionally harming and humiliating others, is on the rise, according to some experts, because children are increasingly being raised without the kinds of experiences they need to develop appropriate social skills. But it’s a complicated issue involving child development, school culture, social media use among young people and more.
Too bad the solutions to the problem are not as easy as a a simple rock-paper-scissors game, but any positive attention-getting message about being kind and protecting the vulnerable is worth spreading.
And today we celebrate...