Let’s grow up for our children’s sake

CELLPHONE footage of a schoolgirl being slapped by a fellow classmate started doing the rounds on the internet last week.

February 23, 2015

Megan McLean 1 minute read

The video appears to have been filmed by another classmate who was witness to the bullying. While the incident appears to have occurred in a boarding school in Durban, let us not forget that bullying occurs in every province, city and town.

Audio in the footage suggests the bully is trying to get an admission of guilt out of a classmate, and slaps the school girl multiple times to get the answer she wants.

Why is it that children today can be so cruel and violent? Are they perhaps mimicking their parents and reflecting the society we live in?

A few weeks ago, I wrote about social media and bullying. Reading online comments, I am always surprised at the tone and aggression social media users use. Is it any wonder that our children are moving this aggression from online platforms into their daily lives?Respectable businessmen, teachers, police officers, you name it, I am sure we can find a post they are ashamed of.

Last week parents protested outside a Roodepoort school. The protest got out of hand and police had to intervene. Should we not be setting an example for the next generation and deal with grievances in a manner that is acceptable?

I am scared of what the next generation will do when they get a little older if we continue to lead by such a bad example.

Respectable organisations are acting like children, one example is our Parliament and the shambles that was the State of the Nation Address and the debates which followed. Yes, it is entertaining TV, but what does it say about us as a nation?

We need to rise above the ugliness and start acting like adults. Our children, their children and the generations to follow will be better off for it.

Watch the video below: