Like many, I was devastated to learn about the tragic death of Izzy Tichenor.
As a public school teacher, I want to know that when I refer a student for bullying, that something is being done to curtail it. As a parent with an autistic son, it was confirmation of my own worst nightmares.
If you ask my wife, my concern over how he is fitting in at school is almost obsessive. The editorial published on Nov. 12 in The Salt Lake Tribune is spot on. I just wanted to add one more thing to the discussion.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, I have witnessed a concerning increase in bullying, threats of violence, fighting, harassment and defiance. The trauma experienced over the past two years is certainly a significant factor. But I believe it goes beyond that.
Our children, on some level, reflect the society they grow up in and we are swimming in hate right now. Hate for those who look or act differently. Hate for those who think differently. Hate for those of different religious or political beliefs.
Parents are rarely cognizant of how their speech affects their kids. I struggle with it myself. We casually threaten those for perceived wrongs, never thinking about how that speech gets internalized by their voracious brains.
We watch television shows that divide us, instead of bringing us together. Our children mimic this tribal atmosphere.
It is infuriating that the educational institution failed Izzy and her family, and I hope that justice is swift. But remember, her bullies didn’t materialize in a vacuum. We must take this moment to look at how the behavior of adults is affecting children. It is time to look in the mirror.
David Page, South Jordan
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