What is bullying? If I don't want to play with you and I tell you so, am I a bully?
An opinion writer for the website OZY.com says "bullying" is being overused, applied to situations that don't merit the term. Indeed, in some states -- Louisiana among them -- the law requires school officials to investigate any report that the complainant labels as bullying. The writer, Nathan Siegel, said the "frenzy" to call acts bullying is being fueled by litigious-minded parents and school officials who are afraid of lawsuits.
Some of those "bully" situations can include exclusions from lunch tables or giving someone a dirty look, Siegel writes. But labeling all conflict as bullying can be dangerous because it hinders youngsters' ability to resolve issues among themselves. It also doesn't take into account the context of the relationship of the people involved, and it can unfairly stigmatize kids as aggressive bullies, several educators quoted in the article stated.
To be sure, growing up can be rough and youngsters can be cruel. But have we become overzealous in attaching the bullying label to conflicts at school? Should all conflicts be treated as bullying?
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