On this episode, my guest is Darlene Thompson, a Special Education teacher at the Yavapai County, Arizona, Juvenile Detention School. She’s been there for 8 years and has her master’s in Special Education.
I met Darlene when she invited me to speak to the students, about bullying and my Civility Triangle of Triumph program.
My first question to the students was, “Who, here, was bullied or abused?” and every single hand went up. Then, it came as no surprise that many students become bully-victims, usually because of their abuse from family members or others in their lives.
Darlene further talks with me about the students’ backgrounds of neglect, abandonment, drug addiction, insidious abuse and bullying, and unhealthy relationships because of the lack of positive adult role models.
She points out how kids become gang members and why. And she acknowledges incessant generational cycles of “one-upping and pushing others down.”
However, this show isn’t just for moms with daughters that are incarcerated. Bully-victims come from all walks of life and socio-economic upbringing.
Darlene shares what happens if parents don’t make significant changes and why her students may need to, ultimately, change zip-codes.
Her powerful message to parents and students is to learn what great worth each and every child is and how to create a new life full of hope and real change – positivity.
Resources:
When bullies get bullied by others: Understanding bully-victims
Understanding the Challenges Bully-Victims Face