A top private school in Australia received massive backlash after releasing an article on its website that appeared to be scolding bullying victims for not owning their part of the problem. The controversial post, written by the school's resilience coach, told bullied kids to "stop playing the victim."
Bullied Kids Are Advised To Be The Victor, Not The Victim
News.com.au reports that Brighton Grammar School, one of the top private schools for boys in Melbourne city of Victoria in Australia, has been accused of victim blaming after it published a controversial advice for parents on its website early this month. Penned by its resilience coach Melissa Anderson, the post told parents to assess if their bullied kids are "a whinger, a complainer, self-absorbed, an exaggerator, loose with the truth, a passive doormat, displaying negative body language, an approval addict, a try hard, critical or a bad sport."
The controversial article also called on bullying victims to own their part of the problem, "no matter how small, no matter how unfair it may seem." The article also pointed out that bullying should serve as an avenue for bullied kids to stand up for their selves, develop self-esteem and choose their friends wisely.
"Time to own your part, and stop playing the victim. Be the victor, not the victim," Anderson advised bullied kids.
An Apparent Victim Blaming Post For Bullied Kids
The website article of Brighton Grammar School has earned the ire of parents and bullying experts. According to The Age, Oscar Yildiz , Bully Zero Australia Foundation chief executive, lambasted Anderson's post for its harsh and misleading language. He said that the school should focus on addressing the problem of the bullies, instead of scolding the bullying victims for not taking responsibility of their own plight.
Resilience is a powerful thing for kids to develop, @BrightonGrammar. But that's not resilience. That's shame.
— Mat Larkin (@matchtrick) May 16, 2016
Furious parents also posted their sentiments on Twitter and on Brighton Grammar School's Facebook page. Some called Anderson's post "disgusting," absurd and offensive, while others commented it is shaming bullying victims.
But a spokesperson of Brighton Grammar School defended Anderson's article, saying that the whole message was taken out of context. The article was also taken out of the private school's website after it sparked controversy.
Should bullying victims own their part of the problem? Did Brighton Grammar School's article shame bullied kids? Share your thoughts below.
