As a teacher, I have been exposed to a lot of discourse on the issues of bullying and harassment, especially in the last few years. With the prevalence of technology in our society and all the benefits that come with it, we are witnessing the creation of new mediums for social interaction, both good and bad; cyberbullying and other forms of torment have become hot topics in the media. Programs like the Bully Project and MTV's "It Gets Better" initiative are becoming commonplace amidst stories of teenage suicide and other tragedies. What I am starting to wonder is: does it really get better?
I remember wishing and hoping as I sat in my guidance counselor's office eating lunch every day in high school that it would. I hated high school and crossed every day off as one day closer to freedom, to a life without the drama, gossip, and backstabbing. What I am finding in my adult life, however, is that the drama never really ends. I have been so disappointed to find that many of the teachers in the various schools I have worked in choose to act just like their adolescent students - talking behind others' backs, judging books by their covers. It's heartbreaking, really. You cannot even get away with being the quiet girl who keeps to herself - it's somehow warped and mistaken for "arrogance," which becomes fodder for coffee room whispers. I try so hard not to get caught up in what others think, to be true to myself, and to keep my head held high... but lately, I've been a bit weary. People are relentless. How can we expect our children to treat each other with warmth and respect if we cannot even allow each other to live in peace? Maybe it doesn't get better, maybe our skin just gets thicker. I don't know.
My beloved grandmother frequently reminded me of Bette Davis's quote that "getting old isn't for sissies." Boy, was she right.
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