The recent episode of the bullying video going viral in Delhi has only made the case for social media in schools stronger, in my
opinion.
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Just think about it. If a student hadn’t recorded the
incident and circulated the video, would the nasty case have been viewed by
thousands or even treated with the seriousness that it deserves? Or would it
have been brushed under the carpet like countless bullying episodes that
take place in our schools on a daily basis.
Remember the eleven-year-old girl who died in Kolkata last
year after being bullied by seniors? Were the bullies taken to task? No. Instead
parents unleashed their fury on the school’s principal. None of the newspapers
named or shamed the bullies who slipped away into the comforting cover of
anonymity. Some punishment that.
Instead of banning mobile phones and treating social media
tools such as WhatsApp and Facebook as a detriment, schools and educators in
India (and elsewhere) need to educate students about using social media in a
positive way. While it’s true that there are many dangers online, there
are risks offline as well. Parents and educators need to make children aware of
these dangers and help them use social media and mobile phones to enrich their
lives and also, in cases such as bullying and harassment, make them more
secure.
Social media, when used correctly, can be a powerful tool. It's time to educate our children.
