Why you gotta be so mean?

I'm a 4th grade teacher, so I see A LOT of meanness on a day to day basis. I wouldn't always call it bullying. Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't. I try my best to teach my students to respect others regardless of whether or not you like them. I try to teach them to be kind towards each other. Often times, I feel like my words go in one ear and out the other.

Not only do they get lectures from me, but there's anti-bullying talk everywhere. It's on TV, it's on billboards, and our counselors teach it as well. Kids know that "bullying" is the magic word to get attention to their problem. While I wholeheartedly agree that bullying needs our attention, I also feel that kids need to learn to discern what bullying truly is and how to handle smaller situations on their own. Because I hate to tell them, this problem will not go away as they get older.

Why do we expect kids to be kind and respectful towards one another when grown adults can't even do it? I'm disgusted at what I see on the internet on a daily basis from ADULTS. Name calling and belittling someone simply because their opinion differs from yours. There's a particular situation that I've seen recently that has brought my attention to this, but this isn't the first time I've seen this happen. Often times, things are blown way out of proportion. When you're reading something on the internet, you don't know the person's heart and intent. When you're writing something to put on the internet, it can be hard to get your full thought across. Where's the grace? Where's the respect?

Why do we live in a country of free speech where "everyone's entitled to their opinion" as long as it's the same as ours? If someone's opinion is different, they get called "closed minded." I read things regularly that I don't agree with even from bloggers who I enjoy following. I do one of two things. I either close it out and move on with my life or I leave a comment respectfully stating my difference of opinion. I don't need to call them a name. I don't need to write my own post blasting them. I don't need to make them feel stupid. That's pointless and immature.

As a blogger, it can be scary to put your thoughts out there in this public arena. When I write a more "controversial" post, I'm always nervous to post it. You're always taking the chance that someone is going to be rude to you about it.

I know what some people would say about this topic. "Well, we have free speech." or "That's the chance you take when you put your thoughts out there on the internet." While this is true, is that really the best attitude to have? What do you accomplish by putting someone else down? Can you not have an intelligent, respectful discussion on the topic rather than a public bashing? Do you ever consider that that person has feelings?

I don't know...it just really bothers me to see people be so downright mean to other people when all they're trying to do is share their thoughts or beliefs on something. Aren't we adults? Can we start acting like it? We need to set a better example for the children of the world who are our future.

I have this quote hanging in my classroom and I truly believe this is the only way to change these things. We can't change the whole world, but we can do what we can to make it a better place.