Children can be cruel and the schoolyard has been the traditional site for this cruelty. Some of it is intentional and directed. Differences in race, gender, dress, style or ability are singled out for taunting or ostracism. Some of the cruelty is unintentional and thoughtless. The child always picked last for participation in a team sport, the child simply dismissed and ignored by classmates also experiences the cruelty of the schoolyard.
Recent surveys demonstrate that bullying and cruelty are fairly common in our schoolyards.
The board and staff of our school system have been discussing ways of addressing the problem, so the active participation of a concerned parent is most welcome. It is also a credit to our board and staff that they welcome Denise Little s participation. Little is absolutely correct when she says children cannot be passive receivers of a prepared program. The more deeply the children are involved in the process of understanding bullying and cruelty, the more deeply the lesson is absorbed. There is no pressure stronger than peer pressure, for good as for bad.