For a young child, or any person in general, to experience bullying means for their self-confidence and life to change a great deal, sometimes forever. The sad reality is that some people never get to overcome the fear from being a victim of bullying.
Although we are all very well aware of the negative impact and the consequences of this devastating phenomenon, it looks like the institutions where it takes place the most, the schools, don’t do a lot in order to prevent it from taking place.
Just recently, the photos of a 13-year-old girl who got attacked by a schoolmate during a PE lesson were shared online and people were left furious.
The photos show seventh grader Charlee Funes covered in bruises after she was beaten by her classmate. “She took her chest on my back and pushed me down,” Charlee, who attends Gardner Grade School in Grundy County, in Illinois, told 6 ABC News of the incident.
The photos were only shared by Charlee’s brother after the school refused to do address the issue.
“I was told the girl would receive two days’ suspension. And no charges would be filed against the girl because it was her first offense,” Kim Funes, Charlee’s mother, told 6 ABC News. “I taught my kids to do unto others as they want to be done unto them,” she added.
A lot of people reacted to the story and many wondered why Kim didn’t take matters in her own hands. They believed she should confront the bully’s mom and even smack her. But Kim said that she doesn’t believe she should be answering to violence with violence. “But two wrongs don’t make a right. We have to do what’s right,” she said.
After the incident gathered attention, the school district superintendent sent a statement to families assuring them that the students’ safety is their number one priority.
“In response to the incident, the District immediately began an investigation. Throughout the investigation, the District worked collaboratively with law enforcement, and took immediate action in response to the student who committed the misconduct.
“While the District is unable to share the details of the investigation and the actions taken to respond to the misconduct due to student confidentiality and privacy laws, the District takes all incidents of misconduct seriously and our student’s safety is always our first priority.”
In a Facebook post shared more than 100,000 times over a 24-hour span, photos show 13-year-old Charlee Funes and her face scraped up after an incident at her school.https://t.co/Fl8QbXEl9O
— WLNS Newsroom (@WLNS) May 19, 2021
Charlee hasn’t been to school after she was bullied and beaten because she’s afraid. She, however, is happy she has her family’s support.
We truly hope bullying will not be longer taking place in schools, or anywhere else.