Ignoring bullies can cause further harm

When President Obama visited a Philadelphia school, he told the children to ignore bullies and in the same breath asked them to be tolerant of others. Tolerance is a valuable trait, but ignoring bullies' behaviors invites bullying children to rev up the attacks that cause their victims mental anguish.

As adults, we know verbal harassment negatively affects us psychologically, emotionally and physically, so we do everything we can to stop the bullies, including seeking help from the law and filing criminal charges against the offenders. Therefore, adults should not expect bullied children to ignore relentless verbal attacks that rob them of their rights to peace, a critical element that facilitates a rich and productive learning environment.

As we look to the law, children look to adults to intervene and stop the bullies. The president should have directed his attention to the bullies and told them to stop badgering their classmates. He should have advised teachers and other adults in the school to stop bullies' behaviors and then to help the bullying children develop empathy from which flows compassion toward all human beings. Without empathy and compassion, there can be no tolerance.

Mary E. Keenan

Schaumburg