tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26662000.post4109700355964811112..comments2023-11-02T08:38:49.854-07:00Comments on A Tale of Three Beans: Does Jordan Have Bullies?MommaBeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04452302193049028569noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26662000.post-6155164156725714132010-10-19T13:10:32.084-07:002010-10-19T13:10:32.084-07:00Thanks anonymous. I saw her article just after I ...Thanks anonymous. I saw her article just after I posted and decided that great minds think alike. I enjoy her writings and have quoted her several times...MommaBeanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04452302193049028569noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26662000.post-25015346444781348522010-10-18T13:56:47.688-07:002010-10-18T13:56:47.688-07:00Nermeen Murad recently wrote about this:
http://w...Nermeen Murad recently wrote about this:<br /><br />http://www.jordantimes.com/?news=31031<br /><br />I think there can be little debate that Jordan has bullies, and they employ both physical and psychological means. The pattern is set by people in positions of authority, who are among some of the worst abusers. Jordan is a dictatorship, after all, and those abuses tend to flow down.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26662000.post-42219568573468154512010-10-18T07:17:47.256-07:002010-10-18T07:17:47.256-07:00Wow, that IS encouraging...Wow, that IS encouraging...MommaBeanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04452302193049028569noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26662000.post-79082064774601493282010-10-17T22:49:01.731-07:002010-10-17T22:49:01.731-07:00Bam and MB, well covered.
I think that kids are m...Bam and MB, well covered.<br /><br />I think that kids are more autonomous in the US, and have lives separate from the protection (or bondage of the) family unit, which makes them more susceptable (sp :P) to bullying.<br /><br />I also think that kids have a sense of entitlement to the 'perfect, cool' life, and have a lower threshold for emotional pain than Arab kids because they have been taught bullying is wrong.<br /><br />My nephew is threatening suicide. He isn't being called gay, but he is ignored, marginalized by the cool kids. He thinks he has no value unless he is invited to their parties. <br /><br />I was talking to the principal of a local private school this week about bullying. He has a 'mean girl', a pack leader in high school, who has been spreading rumors that another girl isn't a virgin. They are going to expel the mean girl as she is defiant and continues to spread lies that actually threaten another girl's life. I am proud of them.kinzihttp://www.kinziblogs.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26662000.post-22339854645236484272010-10-17T00:55:46.092-07:002010-10-17T00:55:46.092-07:00Bambam, thanks for the correction. Thought I read...Bambam, thanks for the correction. Thought I read NYU, but who knows... none of it is close to home for me;). Thanks also for adding your personal experience. With the state of the reporting of such things, I felt certain it was happening here, just not being reported in new outlets. That's one of the challenges of the nature of the way society perceives these situations.MommaBeanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04452302193049028569noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26662000.post-36918622181013947482010-10-17T00:14:09.188-07:002010-10-17T00:14:09.188-07:00MommaBean, it's Rutgers NJ not NYU ... :S
@Ja...MommaBean, it's Rutgers NJ not NYU ... :S <br />@Jaraad yes there are some cases where it has lead to suicide, they are not reported in news but when i was in 10th grade there was a student that was bullied because he was perceived as gay, and it reached to such an extreme point where he committed suicide. Another in my school was bullied extensively for the same exact reason until he decided to switch schools which didn't help much and so he ended up being homeschooled in jordan. the fact that i'm only talking out of direct experiences here and people generally don't talk about those who they perceive as "lesser than" makes the entire issue under reported. BTW a lot of the bullying dynamics in jordan are the same and with hormones bursting all over the place without any outlet they end up revolving around the topic of machoism and you achieve you manliness by putting down someone who is less manly and hence gay ... but that doesn't get talked about.bambamnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26662000.post-14034631978557624042010-10-16T12:04:21.335-07:002010-10-16T12:04:21.335-07:00Emi, I think most moms get there. I just heard en...Emi, I think most moms get there. I just heard enough from friends with older boys to start Tae Kwon Do in KG... ;). Also make sure the school is aware of the issue and dealing with it. We had some issues with one particular kid hitting all of the other boys and I asked the teachers to keep an eye on the situation. They weren't totally aware of it and became more diligent ;( sigh.<br /><br />Jaraad, Jordan's bullying is likely more physical. The US's bullying seems to take on a more psychological bent. I think that is why it seems to lead to suicide. But, also, in the US suicides are reported on the news. An equally valid question based on the reported news in Jordan would be does Jordan have suicides? The answer to both is yes. Unfortunately, much of the bullying being done here seems to be by those who absolutely should not (teachers).<br /><br />Also, American schools do tend to have more prominent non-tolerance policies for bullying. However, they are having to find their way through the minefield that is freedom of speech vs cyberbullying. I don't think Jordan's schools are facing this dilemma yet...MommaBeanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04452302193049028569noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26662000.post-27881056334789585552010-10-16T11:16:01.442-07:002010-10-16T11:16:01.442-07:00In the past couple of days the US media is all new...In the past couple of days the US media is all news and talks about bullying. This made me think of the same question as yours “Does Jordan Have Bullies?” So, thanks for addressing this subject. I wanted to know the answer because I am not aware of any bullying that led to suicide in Jordan. So does this mean bullying in the US is more extreme than in Jordan? I know there are more physical fights and cussing in Jordanian schools but, I think, it is still less harmful than what I hear about American schools. I think this should not be the case because of the American schools’ higher standards. <br /><br />And yes teaching children self-defense I think is important. If for any reason it gives him/her more confidence.jaraadhttp://jaraad.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26662000.post-64481876787889169192010-10-16T08:20:19.265-07:002010-10-16T08:20:19.265-07:00Remember last Spring when we talked about the bull...Remember last Spring when we talked about the bullying issue and how you were making sure that your kids knew self-defense?<br /><br />OK, we're there now. I posted some in the group, but it escalated - a "big kid" (3rd grader) recently knocked my boy down on the playground and dumped Pepsi on his head.<br /><br />I am taking a 2-pronged approach: he MUST learn to defend himself. Not ever instigate fights, but simply defend himself. He must also learn empathy. Someday he will be a "big kid" on the playground, and I am telling him that he has to help the little ones, not hurt them. It's sinking in. The whole thing is a good lesson in exploring how other people feel.<br /><br />But the whole thing still pisses me off.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com