Disability Harassment

When growing up with my old hearing-aids that were very visible, I have faced my own bullies when I was in middle school but I have learned to endure and survived. In high school, I was not bullied once because I simply learned to stand up for myself and became respected by my fellow students. What really helped is that I was an athlete who made varsity soccer team as a freshman. Not many people with disabilities can do that.My only disability during high school was my deafness and I was able to do anything that hearing kids can do but hear. I need to add that when I was at deaf school, I was being bullied by those who didn't considered me deaf enough. Finally, I left the school and handled the bullies at the "hearing schools" better than I did at the deaf school.

Today, the society is generally supportive of people with disabilities but the key to education for the society to be more supportive begins in school. Bullying against those with disabilities is a problem that plagues the society. For years, the federal government always have been aware that that children with disabilities may be singled out for being “different”,less powerful and more vulnerable than other students. Many schools deny that there is a bullying problem. One good example is in Pennsylvania's school about A Palmerton Area High School student fed up over being bullied time and time again has pleaded with the school district to step up and take action. When schools don't take action, what happens then, in Louisville, Kentucky, two Jefferson County students are charged with terroristic threatening after the boys planned to attack their bullies. In Chicago, Ryan, his 13-year-old son who took his life after years of torment at the hands of a school bully. In my homestate, Massaschusetts, state health officials release prevention guide in battling bullies. They are taking a "proactive" steps to prevent bullying. It won't be easy but its a start.

“Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one's definition of your life, but define yourself.” Harvey S. Firestone

"If you let a bully come in your front yard, he'll be on your porch the next day and the day after that he'll rape your wife in your own bed.” Lyndon B. Johnson

"Bullies are always cowards at heart and may be credited with a pretty safe instinct in scenting their prey.” Anna Julia Cooper