Have you seen the movie Carrie? Apparently, it’s a big hit in a tiny farming town in Michigan. On September 13, Whitney Kropp, 16, was voted on the high school homecoming court -- all as just an elaborate high school hoax.
The jig was up when students pointed at her as she walked through the hallways and laughed.
Can you believe the cruelty of those kids?
Whitney didn't let them get her down.
She's decided to stay on the court, and the local community has rallied round her. Businesses have donated everything she needs to get ready for the homecoming game -- including salon services, a red dress, and a ride in a convertible. Town residents have pledged to pack the bleachers with “Team Whitney" T-shirts. An entire Facebook page was created in support of Whitney Kropp. For once, a town stood up and told the bullies off.
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Who are these kids? The teen years are hard enough with body changes, hormone changes and boys. And now cruel, elaborate jokes are becoming part of the experience. I’m glad Whitney Kropp figured out what was going on before homecoming night. Poor kid, I can only imagine the humiliation she felt.
My children are young, but we talk, and they know better than to be cruel to others. I would never allow it. As much as I’d hate to see my child be the object of a bully, I would be mortified to be the parent of a bully.
How did these behaviors become instinctual? My girls know to be aware of other people’s feelings when they speak and act. I have also taught my girls to treat others as they would want to be treated and if they ever have to preempt a statement with, “no offense” then they should probably not make that statement because it will most certainly be offensive. I think these are good rules of thumb. I have a zero tolerance for bullies all the way around.
I don’t pretend to understand bullying. It’s mean and it’s cruel. Unfortunately, it happens more often than it should to way too many kids.
What do you think of bullying; is it just a part of growing up or are do you employ a zero tolerance?
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Comments 33
Good for that town for sticking up for her, and thanks for this article. I'm going to her FB page right now to show some support. What a brave girl for holding her head up, she's going to come out on top.
I think its dangerous to call something a part of growing up just because it happens a lot and has happened a lot in the past. We handle so many things differently than we did in the past that changing how we deal with bullies should be pretty easy to do. This town set a great example. Instead of ignoring what was happening or making a big deal out of it to the bullies they are rallying around the girl and I think we should pay close attention to how this plays out. I am not saying bullies shouldn't be punished but there are times when you can do things that will be more effective. There's nothing that bothers a bully more than being made to look like an ass, especially when they were trying to make someone else look like an ass.
Maybe kids learn to bully from their parents-just go back to any political post and see the names these "adults" call each other.
Just goes to show that cruelty among teenagers is nothing new and, will continue. In 1972 when I was in HS another school in my town banded together and voted the less attractive and popular girls to the Homecoming Court as a joke. I thought it was horrible then as I do now. Some things never change.