By Quentin Monasterial
Courier Staff Reporter
Ms. Cross, one of the teachers here at Logan, says that “high school is a tough time.”
Unfortunately, many define this define this “tough time” as one plagued with bullying. Despite this problem’s diminishing growth, it is still a problem that affects many. That is why James Logan’s ICL student body has come up with a way in which we can both recognize the problem and speak out on the importance of addressing this issue.
The ICL program here at James Logan High School will be hosting what they call the “Bullying March,” which is what Ms. Cross, who is also one of ICL’s advisers, says is a march to illuminate the dire implications of bullying.
Statistically, victims of bullying are between 2 to 9 times more likely to consider suicide than their peers. A study in Britain found that more than half of suicides were motivated by bullying. Clearly, the implications of bullying are pervasive and go so far as to put the lives of our youth at risk.
It is these kind of statistics, these stories of which were learned during the anti-bully unit of the curriculum, that have inspired the ICL students to march in solidarity of bully victims. According to Ms. Cross, the students themselves came up with the idea of a “Bullying March.”
The march is allegedly expected to start in Colt Court, and from there, to the the 500s until, eventually, the entire school has witnessed it. The goal is to make the message loud and bold, conspicuous. Ms. Cross says that their will be spoken word and poetry, words emboldened by the passion in their message; she says that they will also be wearing clothing to garner more attention: tie dye shirts.
The “Bullying March” is going to take place on Tuesday, March 16, 2016 during 4th period lunch. Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be another march during 5th period.
Ms. Cross brilliantly concludes, “[all it takes] is one advocate. I just want people to be apart of the solution, not the problem.”
