When I was a secondary school student, I went out to bat in an U16 encounter between Fatima and QRC, and I will never forget the words I heard from the fielding team when I made a duck. But it was no worse than what I experienced from my own teammates.

Teachers aren’t school police, they are classroom police, yes, but outside of the playground and recess, they can’t stop students from saying what they have to say. Outside of school, it’s the same in the real world, people will say what they have to say, good or bad. Now, it is very easy for a student to say they were being bullied when they started it and don’t like the response, then play victim towards the teacher.

It is also very easy for a student and his crew to fabricate a scenario, throw bait, pushing you to respond. Teachers too. I couldn’t stop teachers from saying what they have to say, even if I felt it was unreasonable and unfair. There were times I felt as though teachers were provoking me, only after trying to resolve the issue, they nitpick at my response, and made me the problem. Teachers take each other’s side, the principal will take their side no matter what, and sometimes victimise you after.

Making a complaint towards a teacher or student is not that simple. You will be the first that they target. It is far easier to accuse someone and it is exhausting and monumental to defend oneself because the majority of the time they automatically think you are guilty. The way I dealt with verbal bullying was to toughen up. I developed high self esteem, I surrounded myself with way more positive people than negative. The way I dealt with physical bullying was to evade. School politics is inevitable, school gossip is inevitable. I had to develop internal strength, thereby peace, more importantly enjoy my own company.

I learnt too that I was only accepted based on what I can offer, and what other people could get out of me. Bottom line, each complaint should be assessed on its own, independently and objectively. If being too nice becomes a problem, walk away and don’t look back.

KENDELL KARAN

Chaguanas