May 2011 - Jefferson County Public Schools

A Fresh Idea by a Young Face
The article, “Bullies! Why Oh Why,” by Quiyana Murphy, a junior at Central High School, brought a new perspective to
solve bullying problems in schools. The fact that she is a junior in high school is probably why she has found a simple way to
lower bullying incidents in schools that many school board members have yet to solve themselves. She proposes that schools
give a seminar to the entering classes (6 th and 9 th graders) about bullying. The seminar will educate the students about what
bullying is, prevention, how to help someone who is being bullied, and the effects of bullying. It’s all about being educated!
She believes that once students have this knowledge, they will think twice about bullying. Her proposal is hands down a great
idea. After all, education is the best prevention. I support her idea for the following reasons:
Every day, thousands of children wake up, afraid to go to school, because they fear being picked on by some bully.
Bullying is a large problem, whether it is physically, through gossip, taunting or teasing, or even through the cyber world.
When problems are not solved, they often become worse than it was initially over time. This is the case with bullying. Because
bullying is such a big problem within schools, a new approach should be taken in order to help take care of this seemingly
unsolvable problem. Quiyana Murphy’s proposal does just that.
Have you ever experienced something, and as a result of that experience it helped you see the world through another
person’s eyes. This is what the seminar will do. On their first day of high school or middle school, there are some kids that are
scared out of their minds that they will get bullied. As well as children who don’t want to be bullied, and eventually become
the bully that they feared. Putting the incoming class in a seminar about bullying will give all students an outlook of what it
feels like to be bullied, along with the dramatic effects it can have on everyone involved, not just the victim. It will allow the
students to see what all the effects bullying can have, allowing them to experience the feeling a little bit. And allowing them to
experience this, somewhat, will change their perspectives about bullying. It will show students that bullying is harmful, and
that being bullied is something they would never want to experience themselves. This sympathy will encourage them to not
partake in bullying.
Finally, I support this seminar for the simple fact that administrators and faculty cannot be everywhere all of the time.
Although this statement is hard for some people to believe, it is true. There are parts of the day where there are no teachers
or faculty in sight. For a child being bullied, this is a scary thought, because when they are being bullied, they search for
teachers for help, not students. When a child has to enter a place where there are no adults, it can be scary, because that is
when the bully will most likely make his move. Because faculty cannot be everywhere all the time, there are bullying incidents
that happen without their knowledge and they are unable to help. This seminar will no longer allow it to be the teachers’
responsibility to stop bullying, but the students. This seminar will put the ball in the students’ court; it is time that the students
take it upon themselves to stop bullying. This seminar, a new idea thought of by a young student, can get the job done.
Student
Central High School
Show Jamilya the Back Door!
After reading, “No Back Door!,” by Jamilya Miller I am astounded by how this younger generation thinks they can get
away with doing things I would have never thought of doing back in my day. Teenagers believe they should have the free will
to do anything and everything they want whenever they want. I guess they don’t understand that parents try to teach them
and show them ways that will further their future. The author of this piece talks about having fun and doing things for a thrill.
It shows how ignorant she is of the real world.
The way she talks about sneaking someone in her house for an adventure is very dangerous. The parents may not
want to let that person in the house for reasons that may harm their child. That person may have a bad reputation around the
neighborhood for stealing people’s things, and to think everything in the house could be stolen because she wanted to have
an adventure.
The way Jamilya refers to her parents or other people’s parents as the enemies can nurture a form of hatred in
children and that isn’t healthy at all. Reading about how their parents are so evil and how they won’t let them do anything,
may cause them to start really resenting them and it won’t be a game or for fun anymore.
When she starts talking about how they may have traps, she is stepping over the line. The parents do those things to
ensure safety of their kids so they don’t try to do dangerous things, like sneaking someone into the house or sneaking out. If
everyone is taught all of the ways parents try to keep them safe, the “traps” will not be effective. If the traps are not effective,
then their safety won’t be protected.
After Jamilya went into teaching everyone about the traps, she talked to them about how to hide “visitors.” If you
hide someone, something else dangerous might happen. For example, if your company tries to hide in the ironing board closet
and your mom comes in and closes it, your friend might seriously get smashed, and it would have all happened for some fun.
I don’t believe you all should publish any more pieces by Jamilya because she obviously doesn’t know about all of the
hazardous effects of her games and pranks. If she wants to talk to teenagers about something, then she needs to make sure
it’s helpful and not hurtful.
Raymondria Price
A wise and cautious mother of three