And yes, sadly, that’s exactly what happens. And it doesn’t stop once school is done. I find even as an adult that I still run into bullies. The tactics and techniques have changed, and they aren’t quite so blatant, but it goes on none-the-lass. There are parents at my kids’ school who walk away when they see me coming, and still refuse to return a polite smile and a quick “Hello!” when I greet them. I’ve heard the gossip about me, and dealt with the snubs. And I’ve responded as I always have, by being myself, regardless. I’ve also responded by spending as many hours as I can volunteering with the school and with Girl Scouts. I want kids to see that it’s okay to be different, and I want their parents to see that people who are different are still people, not trash they can stomp all over.

It helps that I am not shy, that I am willing to work hard and volunteer as often as I can. By being constantly present, constantly polite and cheerful, and by always being there to help, I think I’ve forced a lot of people to realize they can get along with me, in spite of my strange hair, weird clothes, and geeky interests. But it also helps that I refuse to be bullied, and that if someone pushes me, I do push back. I do not start fights, but I will end them, and I’m making sure my kids know how to do the same.

Failed Cities Monologues.

Still the best thing I’ve ever witnessed.

No truer words have been spoken. My dad always taught us, “if you see a bully picking on someone, run and clock the bastard in head and clean the gears out of’em.” Needless to say, I spent many a Saturday school in detention for doing just that. Ive taught my kids the same thing. I detest bullies.

Matt, touching on the subject of you running, no. No, you didn’t run away. You dealt with it as many people do. You dealt with it as a caring, living human being who had had enough. You are NO coward. I advocate for parents and children with disabilities (Tourette, Autism, ADHD and other learning disorders) and many of them WERE bullied on a daily basis. We began holding the parents and schools legally responsible for not keeping the children safe. When some asshole parent who could care lessor his kid is a bully suddenly finds a law suit hanging over their head, they begin seeing things in a new light. When a school district is given notice that their attendance is required in a court of law because of a vulnerable child issue, they start to take notice.

If a parent can’t get satisfaction by either speaking with the school or the bully’s parents, then an attorney is an excellent option.

Gone are the days (1950′s/60′s) where a father would walk down to the bully’s house and punch his father in the face and tell him “Tell your boy if he touches or talks to my kid again, I’ll break your fucking arms. Got it?!” My dad did jut this thing when I was six years old. There was a 7th grader that would come to the grade school and hurt kids. He beat up me and two other 1st graders. Bloody nose, fat lips, black eye and finger marks on our throats. My dad had given his dad warning a few days previous. When I got home from the doctors just after dinner time dad wasn’t their to eat with us. He wasn’t coming home or dinner for three days. He carried through with why he said and broke Mr. Temann’s arms. The bully never bothered me or any other kid again for several years. I am happy to say Gary Temann was killed outside a bar in Portland OR after being caught by the boyfriend raping his woman. Karma. Nowdays, a lawyer would have been involved an my dad would have been in jail for two years instead of 72 hours.I digress.

Matt, thanks for the wonderful article and you hold your head up high. You are a survivor and I am thankful you have not let the circle of this kind of abuse turn you into what you dread. Many people fall victim to that pattern.

God bless!