To Tell or Not To Tell: by Nadja G-C
Sitting in the classroom and this girl in the desk behind you keeps kicking the bottom of your chair. You turn to ask her to please stop, and her reply is "MAKE ME". With that said, you shake your head and turn back around. Now she kicks it even harder, and her friend that's sitting next to you starts to blow spit balls at you through the tube of a BIC Pen that she took apart; custom made for you. Inside you want to raise your hand and tell the teacher, but you already know that things will get worse when you get to the next class. Therefore you keep your mouth closed.
On to the Science class where you think, "Hey... If I sit in the front of the class, they won't bother me." To the first seat in front is where you go. "Great, some peace to learn," you thought. The ring leader, however, sits behind you again. She made someone switch seats with her just so she can bother you. You never knew she was there until she pulled out one string of your hair. Once again you turn around and ask her to please stop, only for her reply to stay the same... "MAKE ME". Mr. Doe (science teacher), calls you to the front of the class to help him show the class which one is heavier, 10 lbs of socks, or 10 lbs of bananas. After you're done, you go back to your seat to sit down, only to pop back up in pain. She put a tack in your seat! Mr. Doe asked what happened, but she immediately kicks you and you already knew what that meant... KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT! Knowing this, you looked at him and said, "Oh... it was nothing Mr. Doe." "I hit my elbow as I was sitting down."
Deep inside you wanted to tell soooo bad, but it would only get worse if the kids at school knew you were a snitch. You know the saying, "Snitches Get Stitches". After all, it was just a tack. Atleast she is only in four of your classes. There's the bell, it's time for gym, and Yep you guessed it... This is one of the four classes that she's in. You really want to ask what's her problem, and why does she single you out. While changing into your gym clothes, that thought continues to run through your head. As you pull your shirt over your head, you didn't see it coming; a friend of hers grabs your shirt just as you get it over your head. She has it so tight that you can't move. You struggle while they laugh along with a few of the girls from the gym class. The next thing you know, she's punching you in the stomach repeatedly. Your screaming and crying... STOP PLEASE STOP; but it seems like the more you scream, the harder she hits you.
Finally it's over, and the hitting has stopped. You pull your shirt down and sit in the corner and continue to cry. Your thoughts now is the worry of things getting worse, while still asking yourself, "WHY ME?" In your mind you don't have confidences in your Principal helping the problem. After all, the last time you heard of someone going to Mrs. Craft ( The Principal), she gave them a few days of detention. Then they were back to their old habits. Why would you go and talk to anyone about what's happening? Then the answer hits you... "Not every result is the same."
Once you could stand up, you went to the gym teacher who had to help you to Mrs. Craft's office. As you walk there the line "To Tell or Not To Tell" keeps running through your head; but you know the best thing to do is to TELL!!! That's just what you did. The conversation with the Principal started with you telling her how the day began, and to your surprise the police were called. Mrs. Craft told you that things were done wrong the last time she encountered something like this, therefore she wanted to make sure everything was done right this time. She also sternly said, "If you're being bullied, NEVER KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT!!!" "TELL SOMEONE!!!" "NEVER KEEP IT INSIDE!!!"
One month later, Mrs. Craft called you to her office, had you sit down and said, "Because you told someone, the police were called and she along with her other friends were taken to jail." "The counselors talked to the other students about what happened to you." "Due to the decision to tell someone, other kids came forward about the things that was happening to them; not just at school, but at home and other places as well." "Your actions helped others change the code of silence." "More bullies are being stopped in their tracks because of your courage." "If your acquaintances didn't have you as an example, they too might have held the abuse inside, and possibly caused themselves or others harm."
thanks for the article
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