Stand Up: Taking Action Against Bullying

Madeleine Cary '14 

On December 13th,  approximately one hundred and fifty Beaver students went to Northeastern University to attend or volunteer in the Stand Up 2011. This event was created “to educate, motivate and empower young people to actively promote positive social change in their schools and communities”-or in other words, take a formal stand against the epidemic of bullying in this country. For those of us who had been victims, this cause truly hit home. For more information, I went to Ms. Marsh, director of the Hiatt Center and Upper School math teacher.

BR: How did Beaver get involved?
Ms. Marsh: The stand up conference is an initiative being spearheaded by the Rendon Group and had have 4000 New England Students. The way we got involved is through the group in the past.  

BR: Do you think that the conference will have a positive effect on Beaver?

Ms. Marsh: I think that the conference will have a positive effect on Beaver. We will go to hear from thousands of people and hear what they are thinking about this issue. Just being there will be powerful. I think it will be good for us to be connected on issues such as these.

BR: Stand-Up is about bullying, which is nearing, if not already, an epidemic. Why do you think this happens?

Ms. Marsh: I think that bullying is a result of a few things-some have been bullied in the past and it is a revenge type thing. We also bully those we are afraid of or don’t understand.

BR: Do you have any first-hand experience with bullying, either in your career as a teacher or in your childhood?

Ms. Mash: I don’t think that I have been bullied, but I was definitely made fun of. I know how cruel kids can be. I know what it feels like to be singled out. When I was a sophmore and my basketball team went a tournament in East Texas, and our team was confronted with a lot of discrimination.

BR: When grown-ups get involved do you think there is back-lash within the student community against the children being singled out?
I think they have to be careful that they are not reprimanding students and being preachy, I think that when students are involved it is much more effective.
BR:  What do you think would be the best way to tackle bullying?
Ms. Marsh: Students leading the conversation-the people affected need to fix it.

  The conference was, for lack of a better description, eye-opening. I was amazed that so many students-approximately four thousand-from across Massachusetts decided that enough was enough. We heard personal stories from those who had been targeted and what their schools were doing to help. What I found quite astonishing was that they were comfortable in front of four thousand strangers, but not with familiar faces at their schools.