“Bully” by Lee Hirsch: A Reflection
Colleen Goff
Department of Education, Eastern Connecticut State University
EDU 696: Research and Readings
Dr. Mark Fabrizi
March 28, 2023
School has always been much more than instruction and learning. Americans spend much of their youth in school, surrounded by peers who are learning how to navigate the world alongside other children and young adults. The unique experiences we endure in school are often novel to us in the moment, and as we grow older, we can forget how challenging and scary it is to maneuver through the halls of elementary, middle, and high school. Those who are for fortunate enough may escape school without understanding two common experiences: being bullied and being
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As someone who has endured bullying from elementary to high school, I understand that the bully is also a victim, which can be a difficult statement to accept. When you are a student in school, you often can’t comprehend that those who are “bullies” are bullying for a reason; they might feel powerless at home, so they bully in order to have power over others; they might feel unimportant in life, so bullying gives them a purpose. Whatever the case may be, I believe that bullies in school are victims too, and it is important to address, inform, and help bullies the same way we do victims of bullying. In the documentary “Bully,” one of the children who are victims of bullying says, “They push me so far that I want to become the bully myself” (Hirsch 2011). I believe this quote resonates for all bullies. I imagine most bullies are hurting in some way, and in an attempt to make themselves feel better or less alone, they hurt others. This is an extremely sad reality. Those who are bullied experience the worse of it, but those who bully also experience pain and sadness that pushes them to bully in the first place. Those who are victims of bullying must be protected and heard, but those who bully need serious intervention,