Kimberly Jones, the Tennesseean mother of Keaton Jones, was picking up her son early from school one day when he came into the car in tears. He was picked up early because he was afraid to have lunch at school. Keaton then told her mother some of his classmates were bullying him by pouring milk onto his clothes and shoving ham down his pants.
“They make fun of my nose.”
“They call me ugly. They say I have no friends.”
“Why do they bully? What’s the point of it? Why do you find joy in taking innocent people and finding a way to be mean to them?” Keaton asked his mother between sobs.
It is 2017- almost 2018, and bullying has been a topic of conversation for a very long time now, so why is it still happening? Why are people still making the kids of the future uncomfortable? What needs to be changed so this topic can finally be something of the past? It can feel overwhelming when you are just a regular person and feel as if your voice won’t be heard, and while it may not be heard all over the world, it does not necessarily need to. The strength of one person being there for the victim, or stopping any bullying when you see it can change the victim’s life, and that is what matters.
Kimberly Jones uploaded this video of Keaton on Facebook and it went viral. Many celebrities, football stars and other people with a big voice on social media stood by Keaton and showed him he is not alone, that he will get through this and reminded him to stay strong.
By Sunday night, the video had already hit almost 20 million views and it brought the attention to childhood bullying once again, but by early Monday morning there were screenshots of Mrs. Jones’ Facebook that included previous racist comments and pictures of the Confederate flag.
This is completely incorrect and not the right mindset to use to raise your child to think, but it should also be considered that this may be an explanation of why kids are bullying! If parents are still demonstrating the incorrect example and bullying each other, so will kids. Of course, Mrs. Jones’ thoughts should have probably been kept offline and to herself, or not even thought at all, but when is attacking each other going to stop? There has to be a bigger person, someone that is the example of the group that shows their kids that instigating a negative topic about someone’s, beliefs, looks, or actions is wrong.
Bullying prevention can be taught in schools for as long as a hundred years, but nothing will actually change unless their parents demonstrate the correct example. Change starts within yourself. Will you be the generation of parents that shows their kids how to be kind, loving and understanding of someone even if they may believe, act, or look a little different than you?