Prince Rupert high school principal says bullying still prevalent
~By Naomi Kowal
As students across Prince Rupert showed their support for anti-bullying on Feb. 27, Charles Hays Secondary School principal Sheila Wells says that bullying is still prevelant in Prince Rupert.
"Is bullying an issue? Yes, we'd like to have no bullying," said Wells.
"A lot of times the issues start at parties or on the weekend and they carry into the school on Monday or Tuesday."
While traditional bullying does take place, cyber-bullying is the issue most frequently brought to the attention of administrators.
"A lot of times the issues start on the Internet, through chats, texting, and social media," said
Wells.
"We deal with cyber-bullying the most."
Charles Hays student council member Seamus McConville agrees.
"Honestly a lot of the bullying takes place on the internet nowadays," he said.
There is a silver lining. Despite the fact that bullying does exist, the students and staff at Charles Hays are taking measures to prevent it, and young people are getting involved in the support for anti-bullying. Weeks prior to the date, student council crew at Charles Hays spent their lunch hours, breaks, and after schools selling pink bracelets and t-shirts and plastering pink posters around the school in hopes of raising awareness for Anti-Bullying Day. After a few weeks of preparation, students of all ages were dressed in pink to show their support.
"It was pretty easy to get other students involved because bullying is a big issue, particularly with some of the recent events in the Lower Mainland...It is easier to get students to dress up for something like this because it is a cause people can relate to as opposed to something like a school spirit day," said McConville.
"It makes me happy to see the kids take this seriously because bullying is a problem...It is good to see the students come out and support others who have experienced bullying."
Bullying is still an issue, not just at Charles Hays, but everywhere. However, progress is being made through things like Anti-Bullying Day to eliminate it
altogether.
"If we all work together on it I think our students will find out what bullying constitutes, that most people have been guilty of bullying, and hopefully they will stop some of the behaviour that is so hurtful to others," said Wells.
"I'm hoping that all the people that are wearing pink to honour Anti-Bullying Day are also not going to partake in bullying."
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