I never really had to deal with bullying in my life. I'm beyond grateful and blessed for that. There was one instance in middle school where a boy made me cry for no reason. I was lucky. I had an older sister that was one grade above me. She was popular, didn't take anything from anyone and always stood up for others. She stood up for me & the boy never spoke to me, let alone messed with me, again. In that time I realized I had a bit of trouble standing up for myself and dealing with my own confrontation. Thankfully, I wasn't afraid to stand up for others. I remember going through elementary, hand-in-hand with my best friends, always standing up against bullies. In Freshman gym, during flag football, I remember playing very aggressively against a group of girls that were intentionally trying to hurt the smaller members on my team. One of the bullies said I was good and asked why I didn't just play on their team. I told her there needed to be someone to help keep the other girls safe from people like them. She respected that and walked away. We need to stand up for others and teach both children and adults to stand up for others.

Growing up is and will always be a way of life. but for me it seemed like countless days that led to nothing. In my younger years I found it hard to connect with others. Kindergarten is when it all started to unfold and become clear. That I was no where near like anyone else. As I got into my middle school years being teased was at the top of everyones to do list, except mine. I was ridiculed on how i acted and who i hung out with or how i dressed. When asked about it at home, and explaining my day, i got the " Well dont let it bother you" or " you egg them on" from my parents. it did not seem like they really cared. So about 6th grade I lost my self confidence and my own respect for my self because I was just the girl that everyone thought it would be funny to make fun of. Needless to say i made it through middle school and high school while still being bullied. I look back now and think that was the worst part of my life the I ended taking control of. I have now a junior in college and loving life and my friends. I am still faced with diversity or name calling or whatever else people think is funny but being 21 i could really care a less.

Growing up was never a right of passage for me. I was constantly badgered for being a part of who I was, I was never the social child or the one who would make friends easily. Little did anyone know I was getting hurt at home, I was getting abused in more ways then one by those who were supposed to love me. I was a little too curious about the world around me, always in the wrong place at the wrong time. No one knew me because I didnt speak. I drew, I wrote, I cut, I painted, I screamed. Now 15 years later I still feel the effects of these traumatic events in my life. And where I stood up and said I would be nothing like my father, or I would be nothing like others... I am. I see it when I get angry, I hear it when I open my mouth. I feel it when I watch these videos and see these families suffering. I refuse to let my children be wasted and not stand up for themselves. I hate to say that it goes away, but it doesnt. It sticks to you like glue, all of the images, the words, the feelings and thoughts that go through your head. I make a stand today that I will make an impact and I will change, if not myself then for others around me. My children, their friends, and the families that I can see are affected. This is tragic and should never be tolerated. My hearts are with everyone who reads this, and I hear you.

So when I was in Junior High School, I know I'm gay. I always attracted to my male friends. And I was kinda girly in my daily life. In Indonesia, when a boy act like a girl they call it faggot, sissy, and other bad words. For me hearing those words is like taking a bullet alive through my body every time someone called me with those names. But I'm so grateful I was born with a huge confident, a good social skill, and I have lots of good friend that always beside me. And now, after I've been there being the victim, I want to help others that gets bullied. But sadly this bullying issue is not a major issue in Indonesia, not because there's no victim, but because not many Indonesian care enough about it.

I have survived bullying incidences in my school years and when I returned as an educator. Despite this I do love my job and hate to see my students unhappy because of the actions of a few. Last academic year, I spoke up for a special needs student who had no voice. I refused to join a practice in school which was detrimental to children's learning. I did not spread rumours. I did not take sides. An insidious campaign began which made my job ultimately impossible. I had to leave for the good of my health and to resurrect my career elsewhere. I did what I knew was best practice but the price was my job. Luckily, I got part time work nearby and I experienced a workplace of support and development. I can cater to the needs of my students without fear of the messenger being shot. Sadly, the previous school continues to abuse its staff, many of which are on sick leave or leaving their jobs also. I wish I had the solution to bullying amongst students but when it is staff to staff or management, educators are then powerless to help kids. The film was excellent. For all the teachers that were stated as 'doing nothing', I am sorry but remember that there are some of us who care enough to act. Sometimes, we lose our jobs over this. But I will not stand by as my former colleagues did and just let it happen, because then someday it will by my turn too. Remember yougn people, educators are people too so work with us in class. We can feel mobbing too.

It all started when i was born. My cousins hated me they couldn't stand me. They actually wanted to throw me out of the car window.. Well i got older and my aunt started in she called me fat Al.That hurt me even though i was a kid. My cousins made fun of me every day. Every time i saw them they would point and laugh while calling me names. I started school it was great no one made fun of me till 5th grade came along. That's when guys started caring about looks and i was heavy set so of course i was going to be the one who got made fun of. One thing no one knew until sixth grade was that i had diabetes. So i got diagnosed on September the 11, 2011. I was big all my life until god told me it was time for change. I kept losing weight and when 7th grade came along i lost 75 pounds in one summer. But still in seventh grade people said awful thing about me. They would say i make myself throw up, or she is starving her self or taking diet pills. The people who said these awful things were the one who i thought were my friends. Obviously not. I got noticed that year but in a good way i got a boyfriend but he really didn't care about me i dated him 5 times and then i took a stand but every time he broke up with me it was because of the "new girl." well i had to move on. So i did but this time my heart was crushed. This year i was in 8th grade well i still was talked awful about people told me to go kill myself or i was useless, worthless, no one cared about me. That is what hurt me the most. Their words hurt me and are still attached to me. I have thought about somethings i shouldn't. But what i am getting at is that no matter how much they thought their words didn't they did. Today i feel like i have depression, and i am all alone. I hate waking up in the morning and look at my self in the mirror because i have been told that i am ugly so many times i am believing it myself.People especially kids and teens don't realize how much one thing can hurt someone. so lets all take a stand no just for ourselves but the broken, the hurt, the unspoken. I HAVE TAKEN A STAND AGAINST BULLIES! I am the girl no one knew till she changed!

Other kids would be racist towards me because I'm black.most of the time their kidding but it still hurts especially when your friends chime in

My experience is through a mothers eyes. My son who is 10yrs old has been bullied for the last three yrs. My heart breaks for him. I think most of all he would like consequences to those who have hurt him. Not if it happens again we will do something. He is strong but sometimes he breaks..just recently he was struck by a rock in the head and punched serveral times. He has is now on a mission to get a 5k run/walk in our school district. He wants to stand up against bullying for himself and others. I couldn't be more proud!

I have watched my best friend try to hurt her self so many times because people are so horrible to her, from highschool and still 4 years after she graduated. IT IS NOT OK

It started by other children, boys and girls not including me in their games in my new 4th grade class. I had moved to Hereford, TX from Chapel Hill, North Carolina. I would always get picked last in gym and I ended up being the only girl in school who wasn't on the basketball team. To this day I am afraid of getting hit with balls as the girls would throw basketballs at me as hard as they could. I was a vegetarian and the girls made a point to tell me that "if there was a drought, you'd die". This lasted for years and broke my spirit after happening every day for three years. In middle school, it only got worse as people put gum in my hair, moved away when I sat down, made death threats, and called me names. At that point I was skinny both naturally and as a side effect of depression. They called me a crackhead and asked if I was anorexic. Eventually I was able to move and have a more educated peer group in Georgetown, TX but to this day, I can spot bullying and as a teacher, try to prevent it. I beat my bullies by surviving and being happy but I still have the emotional scars from such hateful behavior.