Re: peer harassment

[Robert Probasco <rcp@uidaho.edu>]

Learning to cope with peer harassment is one of life's survival skills.

Having said that, I also support the desire to minimize the extremes I
have witnessed in contemporary society, whether it is NBA trash-talking,
or the absurd excesses I witnessed in Vassar Meadows by the Boy Scouts
about 7 years ago, when I had my Cub Scouts there for an overnight
jamboree.

(I thought this important thread had been lost in the current debate, so I
decided to revive it.)

So what's to be done?
Schools have little influence over what happens in the home.
Parents have little influence over what happens in the school.
Rules may pacify those who believe gun laws would eliminate violence.

Only the peers will have an effect on how other peers behave.

If the kids have learned (by age 5-6-7) that harassment is unfettered,
there will be no stopping it.  I believe this describes our current
situation.

Doesn't this point out the problem, and point to the solution?
Or is something missing from my equation?

	Bob Probasco		rcp@uidaho.edu

From: Lois Melina <lmelina@moscow.com>
>... I'd be delighted if we could reduce peer harassment, but how?
>
>At 12:56 PM 4/21/99 -0700, John and Laurie Danahy wrote:
>>There is a common thread through all the shootings.  Peer harassment!!!
>>What are parents doing to end teasing and put downs by their children?
>>What are parents doing to help their children deal appropriately with
>>teasing and put-downs?
>>What should district staff do to support at school the parental efforts
>>above?