Being middle schoolers can be tough. There are a lot of things we students have to keep track of, like emailing our teachers and getting our homework done. But above all that, it’s important for us to remember to respect everyone.
Why do we need to address this?
According to USA Today, the number of reports about incidents of disrespect and bullying in middle schools have gotten higher over the years. Now, many middle schoolers suffer from having to deal with unfortunate comments about their bodies and how they look on the outside. More than 19% of middle school students say that they’ve been bullied about their appearance more than once in their lives.
And these stats aren’t just from other middle schools in the country.
“Unfortunately, over the years I've seen way too much of people being disrespectful to others,” says 6th grade Ac. Lit teacher Mr. Tranell. “That's why education is key and that we all as teachers and school staff members need to not only teach what respect is, but we must model respect through our daily behaviors, routines, and interactions with students and other staff.”
We can’t stop what happens in other schools, but we can stop disrespect here at PFMS. Our goal is to make PFMS a safe and respectful place to learn, and we want students to feel comfortable and confident no matter how they look.
How we can solve the problem
You might remember the No Place For Hate poster contest that we all participated in. It was fun to do, and more importantly, was a step in the right direction. Activities like No Place for Hate and ROAR, both commonly referred to in PFMS, make learning possible in a comfortable, respectful, and safe learning environment. As we start to fight hate and support one another, things will change for the better. And before we know it, lots of new sixth graders will join our community next school year, and we want them to learn in a place where everyone supports each other and respects each other.
And it’s important that as we move forward in our lives and become more educated, respectful students, that we always remember to respect each other. Because when we change things in our world one at a time, things in our world will change for the better, and it all starts with just supporting each other and respecting each other for who we truly are.