Editorial: Protecting our children

Saturday, February 11, 2012

THE suicide of a 14-year-old Filipina in a Westchester community in New York last week shocked her family and the whole Filipino community.

Eira Maghuyop is said to have left a suicide note which spoke of bullying as major contributing factor to hang herself in their home.

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Maghuyop is just one among young students anywhere in the world hiding a devastating sadness. Very few children grow up without encountering bullying at some stage in their school lives.

It can take many forms: ostracism; verbal harassment and abuse; out and out violence. Often psychological bullying, more common among girls, can be more damaging than the physical forms associated with boys.

The consequences can be profound and long lasting. In fact, there is evidence that some children never fully recover from bullying, its dire effects lasting well into adulthood.

The various instances of violence and bullying endured by middle school students in the hands of his schoolmates, lead to calls for tougher punishment of bullying and violent students.

It's a good time, then, to reflect on this problem and resolve to do something about it: torment and fear should not be part of school life, and a few knocks do not form character.

That is an attitude that must end. Bullying builds isolation and depression. It destroys confidence and potential.

In extreme and tragic cases like that of Pinay teener Eira it costs young lives.

Not only education authorities but the political circle rushed to present various measures against school violence. Most of the measures are, however, repetitions of the past ones, such as increasing the number of counsel teachers at schools. It is feared that the incident may soon be forgotten.

It is hoped that the recently approved House Bill 5496, co-authored by Representative Christopher Co (AKO BICOL party-list) and called the "Anti-Bullying Act of 2012" will eradicate school violence.

HB 5496 requires elementary and secondary schools to set guidelines on bullying. A handbook on bullying prevention and measures will be distributed to students, teachers, parents and guardians. In addition, all incidences related to bullying must be reported to the division superintendents.

In turn, the reports will be sent to and compiled by the Department of Education (Deped) that will impose sanctions on schools that do not comply with the Anti-Bullying measure.

A fundamental approach for the solution to the problem should start from an understanding that "school violence is crime."