Blog

A colleague sent me this article detailing how videos of bullying and other forms of violence posted online – student on student, or student on teacher – can actually be used as a “teachable tool” and to “wake everyone up.”  Parents can sit down with youth and watch them together, and convey lessons about appropriate and inappropriate ways to deal with conflict.

I actually don’t agree with this.  A recent discussion among other colleagues has focused on whether video content that ostensibly shocks the conscience can be used to teach adolescents about wrong and right behaviors.  Research and anecdotal accounts have shown, though, that images and video of drunk driving crashes are not viewed in a serious, grave light – but are rather casually dismissed as commonplace or irrelevant since youth tend to be desensitized to violence due to television, movies, and the Internet.

I think that since youth see physical fights often (as compared to adults) – either on school campuses or in the neighborhood – that seeing them captured in video and posted online will not really strike a proverbial chord in their minds.  Kids look up these kinds of videos on YouTube for entertainment.  It won’t surprise them.  It won’t deter them.  It won’t all of the sudden convince them that punches and kicks are completely unacceptable ways to resolve conflict.