My daughter Makeyla has, for the past few weeks, been having many sleepless nights dreaming about the family house being destroyed by earthquake and tsunami. Jason and I decided “enough” with seeing these natural disasters and have turned the TV news off in front of the kids. For the moment anyway.
The kids need to know what is happening in our world but the shocking imagery on the TV news is simply too graphic. With all the advances in camera technology in everything from cars, mobile phones, security cameras fixed to buildings, to Nintendo DS devices to toy dolls. We now see too much. It feels like we have been in a permanent stake of natural disaster shock this year with the foods, earthquakes, cyclones, fires and the horrifying tsunami in Japan. Do we really need to see all the imagery just because it is available? Should our press be censoring what we see?
The same can be said of the bullying YouTube video. It appears kids watched and videod their friend Ritchard Gale attacking Casey Heynes. Casey finally had enough, and dumps Ritchard on his head. The video has caused debate in our house.
Our kids *touch wood* have not been physically bullied like Casey but Jamie has had his share of bullying recently. I wrote about it a few weeks back here. Also two girls at his high school were expelled recently for fighting. I don’t remember girls fighting and being expelled when I went to school. Perhaps, it was never reported to the teachers. Regardless, our family is divided into two.
On one side is Jason & Claire with myself & Jamie on the other. Makeyla has abstained. Jason’s view shared by Claire is that Ritchard (the bully) deserved what he got being dumped on his head by Casey (the bullied). Ritchard’s friends videod the whole bully episode and then stuck it up on You Tube. So they must have been proud that their mate was the bully and in some way this condones their friend’s bullying behaviour. The video should have been picked up by the press to encourage debate about bullying. That bullying is not good but also to defend yourself.
I think the whole sensationalised event should not have been reported by the press. It’s not news. It’s two kids having a fight in a playground and it got press because there was vision on YouTube. To me it’s petty to make a ‘big thing’ out of it. I also worry about copy cats. Bullying and then posting it on YouTube will just encourage other kids to do the same. No matter how much we say don’t do something to our kids, they will. We need to educate our kids to stamp out bullying but not glamourise it on YouTube or our TV screens. Both kids need counseling. Possibly the whole school needs to write an essay. 
When writing this posting I notice the video was on Youtube but it keeps being removed. If you really want to watch the video, use one of the links I have included below in ‘Also of interest’. Like the state of shock imagery I write above about Japan, should our press be censoring what we see?
I have really enjoyed the debating we have had at home. PLUS I enjoy writing about this here on my blog. If you try to find me or my family using the names above, you won’t. Read more about me.
So what do you think about school playground antics making the news? Should they be left in the playground and the press has a responsibility to not report it? Or am I alone on this?
Links that might be of interest:
- Video of tables turning on bully sounds alarm bells – SMH
- Viral spread of bullying video may encourage more acts, says expert – SMH
- Victim of school bullying a web hero – Daily Telegraph
- It’s ok to hit bullies – Superparents.com.au
- Kids Helpline call 1800 55 1800
- Donate to Red cross
