Discrimination Definition: The practice of unfairly treating one person or group of people differently from other people or groups of people (Source: Merriam Webster).
Bully: someone who scares, hurts, or threatens smaller or weaker people (Source: Merriam Webster).
Scaring, hurting or threatening weaker or smaller people is unfair treatment, either for one person or group of people who are different from others.
My interpretation is that they are the same… The traditional interpretation of discrimination is treating people differently because of differences in race, ethnicity, religious beliefs, etc. In the United States, much of this “discrimination” has dissipated and many people do. opt out Here in the New York area, people of all religious groups, ethnic groups, and races coexist peacefully. I recently heard someone refer to discrimination as “so ’60s.” From what I see, my children are growing up in a world where “traditional discrimination” basically doesn’t exist. I stress that is what I see here in NY. There’s a reason they call New York City the “melting pot.”
Now, in the year 2012, discrimination is still here, but the public emphasis has changed. Same-sex marriage has become a political and discriminatory issue. We have laws on sex discrimination, but our children are basically ignored by the law in actions of discrimination.
I know when I was a kid I was bullied: I was small, super skinny (wish I stayed the same), quiet, and a few other qualities that were the reason behind the bullying, and just plain BAD kids. Where do bad kids come from? Some are just experimenting. But for others, have you ever heard the expression “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree”?
I don’t remember too much bullying of special education kids. Where was that? I remember a little but nothing like I see it today.
My son has been harassed, also discriminated against. Everyone says that he is being bullied or teased. The definition of discrimination above defines discrimination as “unfair treatment of a person differently from other people.”
Well, my son is different and has been treated unfairly. He has been physically abused, which is highlighted in a video on the YouTube.com incident using definitely discriminatory words. He has been excluded from teams and even treated differently and sarcastically by adults running teams. Aren’t adults supposed to lead by example? That is a good one!!!! Keep laughter to a minimum.
Think back to when immigrants first came to the United States. They were smaller and weaker and treated horribly. Think of slavery; those people were a smaller and weaker group who were treated horribly. Think of homosexual people; smaller and weaker group now fighting for equality. I could go on and on naming different groups.
Special education children are no different, they are weaker and a smaller group, probably one of the easiest targets for abuse. Most of them cannot defend themselves, which makes their situation even worse than that of other groups that are discriminated against. Unless people defend and advocate for them, they don’t stand a chance…
So again, is it bullying or discrimination? Are both!!!!!!
How should some of the actions, such as a bullying problem or a legal problem, be treated? To the extent of the action and within reason, I personally think it should be treated as a legal issue.
Schools have a code of conduct, well who decides how that is interpreted? The school decides. In this case, we have to have faith in our schools and their staff. I have faith in some of the staff, but not in all.
Reporting bullying or illegal activities is not an action the school wants to take. Why not? It can be in the papers, it will “look bad” for the school, it can be in the records, affect public opinion of the school and thus affect property values, so where is the incentive? There are none…
Think about it!