Bullying seems to be a growing trend in schools across the Untied States. Kids and teens2 alike feel as if school isn't school anymore, it's a battle field. How can we make everyone the winner?
在美國校園里以強(qiáng)凌弱似有增長之勢。兒童和青少年們覺得好像學(xué)校不再是學(xué)校了,它是一個戰(zhàn)場。我們?nèi)绾尾拍苁姑總€人都成為勝利者呢?
After interviewing sixteen 7th and 8th grade students from a small suburban middle school, I found out a lot about bullying, violence, and other related issues. My first question to the students was "Do you think bullying and violence has increased since elementary school?" Basically every student said yes. Meredith, an 8th grader, said that she has not been bullied but she has seen many other kid victims of this sort of abuse3.Another 8th grader, Christina, said "Kids shouldn't pick on4 others because they are different." That brought me to pose a question to Stephanie. I asked her if she had ever been bullied. She sighed5, and replied that she had. I asked her if she knew why. She answered "They just don't know you, they think you are weird6 or something. If people got to know me, they'd see I'm just like other kids." She also said that she told a teacher once, but the teacher refused to help her. So I asked the group if they thought teacher were putting forth enough effort to prevent bullying and violence. No one, not one student, said yes. After putting the answers of my survey7 into a graph, these results were very upsetting. But, when I asked what teachers should do, no one had an answer. But those who did said it should be talked over with a teacher, maybe with a parent after school. "Sometimes teachers do too much,sometimes not enough, but kids should talk with teachers after school." Jo-jo, another 8th grader says teaehers should watch more for kids being bullied. She also believes the violence is coming from anger. Although she has never been bullied, her friends have. Most kids, now aren't telling the teacher anymore. Stephanie says "it's not like elementary school when you were a blabber8 mouth, I don't even tell my parents unless they ask." Lauren, 8th grade, says "Kids are meaner9 because they think they are cooler, or try to control their reputation." Another girl named Lauren adds "Kids aren't just meaner here, they're meaner everywhere." Alyssa says "Guy's think they are tougher10 now, they think they can do whatever they want." John says "It's all in their attitude, their personality. Especially when they are around their friends, trying to impress people." A seventh grader named Lauren tells me she was once bullied by a boy on her bus. Paul, a 6th grader said he had been bullied because boys are much rowdier11 and more violent, too. He says he's been bullied for having good grades. When he notified the teacher, nothing was solved. Jess, an 8th grader had a different view. She says, while "People aren't mean to me, I've seen other kids bullied. Actually, some are more mature12!" So once again, I asked, what could teachers do? The first response was "In school suspension13." "But don't some kids like ISS?" I asked. "Copy from the dictionary?" Molly laughed. Hopefully teachers will one day aide the innocent14 in the battle on bullies.
在采訪了來自市郊一所小型中學(xué)的16位七年級和八年級的學(xué)生之后,我發(fā)現(xiàn)了很多欺侮、暴力和其他相關(guān)的問題。我對學(xué)生提出的第一個問題是:“你認(rèn)為自小學(xué)以后欺侮和暴力現(xiàn)象有所增加嗎?”基本上每位學(xué)生都說是的。八年級學(xué)生梅雷迪斯說她并沒有被欺侮過,但是她曾經(jīng)見過其他許多孩子成為此類凌辱的受害者。另外的一個八年級學(xué)生克里斯蒂娜說:“有些同學(xué)不應(yīng)該因為別人與他們不同就找人家的茬兒?!彼脑捥嵝盐覍λ沟俜萏岢隽艘粋€問題,我問她是否曾經(jīng)被欺負(fù)過。她嘆了口氣回答說這樣的事她遇到過。我問她是否知道原因。她回答說:“他們只是不了解你,他們認(rèn)為你怪異或有點特別。如果人們了解了我,他們會看到我和其他的孩子一樣?!彼€說她曾告訴過一位老師,但是老師并沒有幫助她。因此,我做了集體詢問調(diào)查:老師是否在防止欺侮和暴力現(xiàn)象方面盡了力?沒有一位學(xué)生的回答是肯定的。在我將調(diào)查的答案用圖表顯示出來之后,這些結(jié)果非常令人不安。然而,當(dāng)我問到教師應(yīng)該怎么做時,沒有人知道答案。但是有人的確提議應(yīng)該在課后與老師或者與家長一起討論這個問題:“有時老師做得太多,有時不夠,但是學(xué)生在放學(xué)后應(yīng)該和老師談?wù)??!眴虇淌橇硪粋€八年級學(xué)生,她提出老師應(yīng)該更多地關(guān)心被欺負(fù)的學(xué)生。她也相信暴力來自于憤怒。雖然她從未被欺負(fù)過,她的朋友卻有過這樣的經(jīng)歷。現(xiàn)在,大多數(shù)學(xué)生已不再向老師匯報了。斯蒂法妮說:“現(xiàn)在不再像小學(xué)時,那時你是很多嘴的。現(xiàn)在我連父母都不告訴,除非他們問我,”八年級學(xué)生勞倫說:“孩子們越來越壞,因為他們認(rèn)為自己比較酷,或者想撐起自己的面子?!绷硪粋€也叫勞倫的女孩又說:“壞孩子們不僅僅在學(xué)校里使壞,他們在各處都使壞。”艾莉莎說:“現(xiàn)在男孩子們認(rèn)為他們自己很強(qiáng),認(rèn)為他們可以為所欲為了?!奔s翰說:“問題在于他們的態(tài)度和個性。尤其當(dāng)他們和朋友在一起的時候,他們總想出風(fēng)頭?!绷硪粋€也叫勞倫的七年級學(xué)生告訴我她曾在公共汽車上被一個男孩欺負(fù)過。一個六年級學(xué)生保羅說他也被威脅過,因為男孩子更加粗魯和暴力一些。他還說起因為他的成績好而被欺負(fù)。當(dāng)他告訴了老師后,還是無濟(jì)于事。八年級學(xué)生杰斯持有不同的看法。她說:“大家對我不錯,但我看到過其他的孩子受欺負(fù)。實際上,有的同學(xué)更老練一些!”于是,我再一次問道:老師可以做些什么?第一個回應(yīng)是“在校停課”?!霸谛MUn,難道不正合一些學(xué)生的心意嗎?”我問道:“抄字典如何?”莫利笑了。希望有一天在這場打擊“欺凌弱小者”的戰(zhàn)爭中,老師會站在無辜者的一邊。
注釋:
1.bully n.恃強(qiáng)欺弱者,惡霸
2.teen n.=teenager(13~19歲的)青少年
3.a(chǎn)buse n.虐待,凌辱,傷害
4.pick on 欺負(fù),找茬兒
5.sigh vi.嘆氣,嘆息
6.weird adj.奇怪的,奇特的,不可思議的
7.survey n.調(diào)查,民意調(diào)查
8.blabber n.喋喋不休,胡言亂語
9.mean adj.脾氣壞的,惡意的
10.tough adj.強(qiáng)壯的,堅強(qiáng)的
11.rowdy adj.好爭吵的,喧鬧的
12.mature adj.成熟的
13.suspension n.暫令停學(xué)
14.innocent n.無罪的人,無辜者