Topic # 1

[nicolef]

In Jodi Picoult’s novel, Nineteen Minutes, Josie’s boyfriend Matt Royston told her that in their high school it was “them”, meaning people like Peter, versus “us”, meaning people like Matt and Josie (the popular kids). It is a shame that students in high school can feel this way towards their classmates, but it is a reality in most schools. However, some schools can change this environment (usually those are very small schools); though, for larger schools, this could be a harder task to accomplish.

Matt’s “them” versus “us” theory is a concept that many students have stuck in their minds and is very difficult to remove from a high school environment. One way to eliminate this attitude in school is to have more anti-bullying and team building programs. This idea of “them” versus “us” is usually started in the lower grades; therefore, anti-bullying should start in the lower grades but continue throughout high school. One example from Nineteen Minutes would be perhaps, if Peter had someone to talk to at school and prevent further bullying from happening when he was first tormented; then Peter’s fiasco would never have happened.

Schools need to start teaching empathy and sensitivity among children from the earlier grades through high schools to be able to break down these barriers. Everyone is different, but they are actually all the same. Tolerance, acceptance, and respect of peoples differences need to be shown.

[kailync]

I do agree with Nicole in that it is sad that high school students feel this way about classmates, but I’m not so sure that there is much we can do about it. This “them” versus “us” scenario has been around forever. It’s everywhere, even in children’s television shows. Take the show Sabrina the Teenage Witch for example. The shows main character, Sabrina, is a girl who is different, and is not accepted by the popular kids like Libby. She has her friends, and they oppose Libby and the popular kids. I think that no matter how hard we try to get rid of this “them” versus “us” situation we’re going to fail. It is part of the way society functions and I believe that kids have learned to deal with that. Just think, what would life be like if there were no enemies?

[juliab]

You brought up a good point, I do think its easier for a smaller school to change their environment rather than a larger school. It may be because with less kids, there is a greater chance for everyone to get to know one anther and reach to others without appearances get in their way. Maybe for the larger school its almost discouraging, some kids may end up unnoticed because they see how other students act and may not want to be apart of that. Although, those might not be the cases. In 'Nineteen Minutes' it does say that it was a small town where everyone knew everyone else. That could also have to do with another good point you brought up about it starting in the lower grades. Peter was picked on from the first day of kindgergarten and for people like Matt and Gerard, old habits are hard to break.
Do you really think that if Matt and Gerard, or "them", had been notified more with anti bullying programs, they would've stopped picking on Peter?

[nicolef]

Yes, I do feel that way. If these programs were implemented in the lower grades and followed through High School, the others could have learned to respect Peter for his differences and Peter could have learned better methods of dealing with bullies.