A hot topic in today’s society is bullying. People ask why kids are bullying, how they do it, and where are the adults while this is happening. To me it seems that these adults have forgotten what it was like being a kid. They scream that bullies should be persecuted as strictly as possible. What they don’t remember is that we all have bullied at one time in our lives.

Bullying is defined by www.dictionary.com as “To treat in an overbearing or intimidating manner”. (Key words: overbearing and intimidating). This is the definition many adults now use for what was once consider friendly teasing. This is not bullying. There are obviously a lot of adults who see it as it really is: childhood behavior, but many others over-react and kids get in trouble.

Now the consequences for bullying in school can range from something that is unpleasant, such as detention, to something that can be as psychologically stressful, such as suspension. In Westborough High School the consequences are: warnings, reprimands, physical restraint/restrictions, discharge, suspension or expulsion.

And why is bullying made into such a hot topic today? One word: media. Right now the media is so plugged into every minute detail of peoples’ lives that they report any effects of bullying almost immediately. This hype has thrown the public into frenzy. People are looking at the way kids behave and might consider it bullying when it’s not.

After reading my opinion, you may think that I am pro-bullying. I am not. All I am saying is that bullying has been given too much attention. There are things far more important than kids being kids.

I live in a good town and I do not see bullying as often as some other communities, but I am sure there is bullying/fighting going on all around the U.S. Generally speaking, I see the U.S as a liberal country where one is taught to first settle arguments with words. I can say that in other countries, such as the Ukraine and Russia, that physical fighting is an everyday occurrence.

I remember first coming to the U.S and my parents telling me that if I get hit then I should hit back as hard as I can. So in the end I’m saying that while bullying is important and should be watched, shouldn’t be the top priority. It most certainly does not need its own legislative bill. It should be the responsibility of the parents and the schools to monitor this problem.

And, just as important, the responsibility of the adults to pick the truth from the mountain of propaganda spit out by the media. We do not need to turn bullying into a national crisis when it most certainly is not.