My Little Unknown Story

News Link HERE.

When this news came out this morning, I saw a lot of people posted in various parenting groups on Facebook discussing if it's true. Some are in disbelieves because there're well reputation schools on the list.
Let me share a little.

I started my high school in a Chinese Independent High School. I loved a lot of things about that school. I made friends there. There're some really cool teachers. I especially loved joining their after school curriculum activities. But I left after finishing my junior years. I didn't tell anyone the exact reason why because I didn't know how to say it. If you'd like to know, it was because of bullying. I was bullied mentally. I had classmates making negative remarks on my appearance (I had braces on back then). I had my school bag thrown across the classroom during recess time for no apparent reason. I had people who came up to me and said "Why don't you just leave and die?" in my face. I was drown in depression but I didn't know. All I wanted to do was to leave the school. And I did. Which was one of the biggest mistakes I made in life. If only I knew what to do and how to handle it, I believe completing my senior years there would be more fruitful to me. But that's another story for another day.

I transferred to a high reputation school in PJ in Form 4. Just as I thought that I could start anew, I was right, and wrong at the same time. I made wonderful friends there. Some of which are still close and dear to me until today. But still, I couldn't run away from the bullies. I remember very clearly, these 3 girls who're 1 year older than me, whom I thought were pretty good looking, started to give me uncomfortable stares during one assembly. We had no direct contact at all but that's how it all started. Whenever I was around the corner near to them, usually alone, they would start to loudly call out to me with weird and not so nice names. There were also times when they purposely walked near and hit me with their body. And every time, I'd just try to get away from them.

The most terrifying incident of all, was once when I went into the toilet and three of them were there. And no one else. When they realized that, they locked the main entrance to the toilet, leaving me alone with 3 of them. My heart pumped so loud I swear I could hear it. I was scared, chilled to my bones. I don't quite remember how but I gathered my courage, quickly ran to the door when they moved away and moving towards me, unlocked the door and went out, running away from them as fast as I could.

 Almost everyday I was terrified of going to school just because of them. Yet we don't share any common ground. I don't even know their names. I really don't understand how but it just happened. Maybe I had a 黑人僧 face? It was a very terrifying year.

After they're gone, my Form 5 year was rather peaceful.

 What I'm trying to say here is, bullies/ disciplinary issue happens anywhere and everywhere. Some could be identified and some might go undiscovered because the victims might not know how to come forward. It really doesn't matter if a school is reputable or not. This also applies in our society, be it in a corporate or a family.

 So if we could identify the victims or if we could see something is going wrong with someone we know, don't be afraid to be a kepochi. Ask them what's wrong? Do you need help? How can I help? LET ME HELP YOU.

 Like what Jimmy Fallon said recently, which I think it's an appropriate quote for this.

 "Ignoring it is just as bad as supporting it."