It was the 9th grade at my all-boys school many years ago. I don’t remember many things, but this one incident, I remember quite well.
A classmate was returning to his desk from getting his graded paper from the teacher. A confident young man, good in sports, but who happened to walk pigeon toed. As he walked back to his desk, some boys blurted out jokes about his “funny walk”. I thought it funny too, so I joined-in, repeating the things I heard them say.
Although he ignored everyone else, he stopped by my desk and said calmly: “Willy, I have no problem with you, why are you bothering me?” At that moment, I was embarrassed, ashamed of myself, and never forgot the moment. I realized that I was acting like a bully, even though I never thought of myself as one. I thought that I knew better, but I guess I had forgotten, just to be part of the crowd.
Many of our children encounter situations like this every day, either as the bully, the victim, or as a bystander. It is our duty to help them choose what is right. Or just - as with me - to remind them...
As an adolescent I was glad to be reminded:
- “Don’t be a bully and never join them”.
- “If you see someone being bullied, don’t stand by, stand up - for yourself and for others.”
There is always something you can do when you see bullying! Together we can end it!
Sensei Willy Strohmeier founded Colorado Karate Club in 2005 and has taught traditional Shotokan karate to children and adults in Brighton and Westminster, Colorado, ever since, and writes a monthly column for The Brighton Buzz. More about CKC