Teen Takes a Stand Against Bullying

Jordon Fonville was tired of seeing kids being bullied online and in the hallways of her school. She organized a Bullying Awareness Day to educate her peers on the dangers of bullying.

By Nicole Nasiatka, NCPC Staff

“Bullying. It’s real. It’s dangerous. It’s unacceptable.” These were the words that organizers wrote in chalk on the sidewalk leading up to Jordon Fonville’s high school on Bullying Awareness Day.

Jordon is an upcoming sophomore at Conway High School East in Conway, AR, and like most girls her age, enjoys hanging out with friends and participating in extracurricular activities such as dance. But the one thing that Jordon is most passionate about is educating her peers about the seriousness of bullying, especially cyberbullying.

According to a survey conducted by Harris Interactive in conjunction with the National Crime Prevention Council, nearly 43 percent of teens have been victims of cyberbullying within the last year, and Jordon is no exception. Personal experience, as well as witnessing online bullying among her friends, lead her to choose bullying awareness as her platform as Miss Central Arkansas’ Outstanding Teen. “Cyberbullying is becoming more and more prevalent,” said Jordon, “especially with the growing popularity of social networking sites, instant messaging, and text messaging.”

It seems as technology advances, so does the creativity of the everyday bully. Harsh words that were once scribbled on a bathroom stall for a few classmates to read are now being posted on the Internet for the entire world to see. And it’s not just words. These days, with the saturation of multimedia devices, cruel messages are being posted along with embarrassing photos or even horrible videos that further humiliate the target. Bullying is even a problem in the home: kids who once could escape bullies by retreating to the safety of their house now find that the bullies are following them there via the computer.

Jordon believes education about bullying and cyberbullying is very important. “I wasn’t really aware of bullying when I was growing up,” said Jordon. “It wasn’t until I was a teenager that I realized this was a real problem that kids face every day.” In order to alert her peers about the issue, she decided to conduct a Bullying Awareness Day at her school. Jordon also met with Tab Townsell, the mayor of Conway, and spoke with him about the seriousness of bullying. He agreed with her that it was an important issue and proclaimed April 15^th as Bullying Awareness Day. To commemorate the day, Jordon spoke with her classmates about the dangers of bullying and gave them tips on how to handle the issue. She also handed out information from the National Crime Prevention Council and rubber bracelets that read “Friendship Beats Bullying.”

But it’s not just young people who need to be educated. Parents and teachers need to be made aware of the severity of the bullying issue as well. Many adults tend to view bullying as a rite of passage, or pass it off as simple teasing, believing that “kids will be kids.” The truth is that teens who are the subjects of bullying and cyberbullying express a wide range of emotional responses—including revenge, anger, shame, embarrassment, fear, and possibly suicide. These responses aren’t something that a parent should brush off; rather, these are emotions that parents should pay attention to. According to the survey, only one in ten teens who has been a victim of cyberbullying tells a trusted adult, so it’s important that adults take the extra time to talk with the kids in their lives about bullying and cyberbullying. Jordon says, “The more parents and teachers know about this issue, the more they can learn about how to prevent it.”

So what’s next for Jordon Fonville and her mission against bullying and cyberbullying? She plans to take Bullying Awareness Day to a new level by going to the governor of Arkansas. Her goal is to have the day recognized statewide so that schools and community organizations all over Arkansas will take the time to educate people young and old about the severity of bullying today. Her state has already taken steps against cyberbullying by enacting a law that adds it to its school antibullying policies. When asked what sort of advice she had for other kids her age seeking to become involved in similar projects, her response was “Go for it! It’s a serious issue and needs as much attention as possible.” She added that it may be tough at first, especially when speaking to peers, but if you can educate just one person about bullying and cyberbullying, the hard work pays off.

For information about NCPC’s campaign against cyberbullying, visit www.ncpc.org.

To order “Friendship Beats Bullying” bracelets, visit www.mcgruffspo.com.