During my 30-plus years as a middle school teacher, I fought relentlessly against bullying. I participated in numerous programs that claimed to have the answer to end bullying. Yet day after day and year after year, I saw bullying escalate rather than abate.
On Sept. 20, the first lady delivered a speech at the U.N. where she said, “We must turn our focus right now to the message and content (children) are exposed to on a daily basis through social media—the bullying, the experience online and in person. . . . We must remember that (the children) are watching and listening. . . . As adults we are not merely responsible. We are accountable.”
It is not just ironic, but unconscionable that she uttered these words in light of the fact that her husband has consistently turned to social media as a bullying tool. Indeed, the children are watching and listening. I ask her, “What message are they hearing from your husband?”
— Paula Hennessey, Carol Stream
