[Audio] Community leaders share experiences with bullying; Humboldt’s last week of news

In the latest episode of Humboldt Last Week (12:20): At least two reported incidents spawned a community conversation about bullying last week. Many saw the viral video of what’s now being investigated as an assault at Zane Middle School in Eureka, as well as a report of another alleged assault of a Fortuna High School student.

A fact page at DoSomething.org suggests 3.2 million kids are bullied each year in the U.S. and 90 percent of kids from fourth through eighth grade report being victims of bullying. Kids who are bullied can experience negative physical health, mental health, and educational issues. The award-winning 2012 documentary “Bully” demonstrated arguably the worst impact of bullying, suicide. Those that are bullied are up to nine percent more likely to consider suicide, according to a study by Yale University.

We all have a bullying story. Whether as victims, witnesses, or perpetrators, the majority of us have memories that will stay with us forever. In the interest of delving a little deeper into the memories and lessons associated with the subject, community leaders such as Humboldt County Sheriff Billy Honsal, Humboldt County Supervisor Virginia Bass, philanthropist Betty Chinn, and HSU President Lisa Rossbacher open up about the issue.

The story begins at 12:20.

Also covered

Preliminary hearings for an alleged murder with a truck in Shelter Cove, sentencing for an assault on an elderly restaurateur, charges added for Marci Kitchen, an inmate firefighter died on the job, car racing, ticks, a soap opera actor trying to make some Humboldt weed money, lasers, movies at the park, a fight over 420 is reignited in Arcata, possibly Humboldt’s first openly transgender school administrator, a person played by Hilary Swank, and so much more.

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Thinking allowed
Guest
Thinking allowed
6 years ago

There’s bullying and then again there’s bullying. Of course like almost everyone, I had experienced a couple of incidents in my childhood that would today be labled bullying. In fact I have a scar from one incident.

But I was not damaged forever by any of it. It was a life lesson about behavior and violence that was not otherwise experienced and without which experience I would have been left vunerable for something much worse later. And such incidents, although they should not happen, were not cause for endless hand wringing. That should be reserved for those few cases where a person is targeted for relentless persecution, not the isolated “incident.”

The difference today is that so much is recorded and published. Then endlessly discussed. This offers a platform for the bully to stay in the limelight and the victim to feel ever more victimized. Such attention is harmful for both. The bully feels the need to ‘perform’ again for the audience and the victim is lead to make so much of an incident that they can become obsessed with their own bad feelings.

This is not to police or deny the feelings of those involved but only to say that in a world of murder, drug addiction, natural disasters, etc maybe the best help is a little perspective.

Susan
Guest
Susan
6 years ago

Your post was very on point and interesting to read. My son was the victim at Fortuna High, and with having this on social media and the with Fortuna Police taking this seriously, and arresting the kid that assaulted him arrested for assault, gave my son some confidence knowing that what happened to him was not swept under the rug. Thank you

Ralph
Guest
Ralph
6 years ago

The real bullying here is by the never ending whining of the liberal left media. These isolated incidents are not representative of the community but the tasteless intersexualism of our children by these same authority figures calling bogus claims of hate speech and intolerance against anyone that dares speak out against the warped progressive agenda IS! First they went after the dumbass college brats. Now they want the preteens brainwashed. Now THAT is ‘bullying’.

Sparklemahn
Guest
Sparklemahn
6 years ago
Reply to  Ralph

Typical SNOWFLAKE Conservative wee-wee: you party of STUPID Conservatives wouldn’t know real from fake news if it slapped you upside your peabrains! The regressive agenda of congenitally demented Conservatives only makes sense to useful pawn idiots for the rich.

Bullied
Guest
Bullied
6 years ago
Reply to  Ralph

Wow, you sound like you are trying to find an excuse for your own behavior.
Bullying is not new, or not attached to a political agenda.
I am a 65+ years old female. Was raised by conservative parents. Parents that felt that behavior received was received by some behavior provided. It was left up to me to tuff it out and suck it up. I was not taught how to respond and left to react on my own.
Bullying began early in my life and ended in the end of my high school senior year.
All of the tuff it out standard bullying occurred; from pushing, shoving, name calling, tripping, dumping the school books, pulling hair to more offensive and serious assaults. Growing up in a community that every one ended up it the same high school so did all the bullies. Yep ..unless you moved you went to Eureka High.
Bullying becomes more serious once you get to Jr. High. Girls were slapped, calling names becomes more serious and offensive, and forsed kisses against science buildings.
Enter high school.
Personal taunts of what the bullies wish to do to you. Tripping to cause the dresses to flip up, grabbing the dresses to flip them up, breast and crotch grabbing. Many and I do mean many..of these bullies became our fine law enforcement who moved on to control behavior.
My remarks here are about the male bullies..there were female but not as many.
I now know how to respond..bring it on.

Gypsy Rose
Guest
Gypsy Rose
6 years ago

I have been preaching to anyone who will listen that children now a days needs to learn jujitsu or judo which developed from jujitsu, especially the girls. I know there has to be a teacher of this sport up in Humboldt who would teach this to young people for free. The parents could chip in for the teachers gas to go to each town up your way. Someone will probably say then the bullies will go and learn. The thing is that’s great because the bully will end up learning respect for other people and himself.

Mama
Guest
Mama
6 years ago

Years ago, it was my son’s seventh grade year at Redway School. He graduated high school this year. But anyway that year the seventh grade class was just out of control overall. My child as bullied over and over by several incidents, but finally someone hit him in the head witha rock. I got a call from the principal to come take him to the ER. She had the rock in her hand, showed it to me, was furious, and stomped out of the room to go talk to the seventh graders. She cancelled the seventh grade class trip over it. It was just the last straw.

Now my kid is just a rezealiant individual, and he just lets things like that roll and makes jokes. He’s not damaged by it personally—-at all, he just does not let it get to him. On the other hand, he was also a bully at times and somewhat, but more of the senseless, jokeing clown and not thinking type, at heart……He also had bounced some ball off a girl’s head at recess once. It was still mean, and we dealt with his actions in the home, as well.

Other incidences….oh do I have as few aweful stories! But come to find out, much of the time, but not always, these horrific and truely mean actions come from kids who don’t get loved the right way at home. Sometimes it’s just senseless/not thinking, and kids need to be taught right. I teach my kids. And I always deal with the behavior issues—both the good and the bad. Praise or restrictions and lectures…and always love.

shak
Guest
shak
6 years ago

Bullying has always taken place. Parents have always been divided on how to handle it. One side taught the child to stand up for themselves, the other side taught their child to just grin and bear it. Both sides demanded for the schools to step in and stop it.
Schools have stepped in to teach children how to bully & to persecute the bullied. They have taught the kids how to become a constant emotional state of victimization. Interesting times.
Both need to step out of the fog and into the light, to empower selves with the confidence needed to be neither a bully or the bullied.
Schools need to chill.

hmm
Guest
hmm
6 years ago

Jordan Peterson: Being Tough and How to Deal With Harassment and Bullying

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gj1iDCIwLq8