One kid’s bully solution

During the past week, our pages have featured several columns about bullying. It seems to be one of those topics that stymie us as adults, like underage drinking, drug use and teen pregnancy. We are very aware of the problem, but seem at a loss to make real headway toward solutions.

That's why we want to share the advice of a local boy who seems to know just how to help a student at his school who he sees being bullied. We saw the note his proud dad posted on Facebook and were so impressed we thought we'd share his good idea.

Anywhere bullying occurs, there are three groups of people: the bully, the person being bullied and all the other people at the school or workplace. Some programs target bullies and try to get them to change their behaviors. Other programs aim to teach people how to respond when faced with bullying behavior.

What so impressed us about Ken Ottinger's son was the solution he proposed seems brilliantly simple.

Here's the note: "My son comes home yesterday from school and tells me that a kid at school is getting picked on by some other kids. So he decided to hang out more with that kid because when he does the bullies leave the kid alone. I have one pretty cool kid."

We agree. We should steal this kid's moves.

He's hit on a simple fix for a problem that has confounded us older folks for decades. How do we change the dynamic in schools where some kids get bullied for ridiculous stuff, like not wearing cool shoes or jeans with the right logo on the pockets?

What Taylon Ottinger seems to already know is that no one is cooler than anyone else. No person has the right to treat another badly, regardless of age, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or whether they are wearing Nike shoes instead of Adidas.

Today and every day until he is at least 85, Evan E. Ramsey will spend the day behind bars. Remember him? He's the foster child who was bullied at Bethel Regional High School and on Feb. 19, 1997, brought a gun to school, killed two people and wounded two others.

Ramsey's whole adult life might have been different if a child like Ottinger had linked arms with Ramsey one day, smiled and called him friend.

It's easier to blame violence in movies and music, on TV and in video games than it is to say bullying is the key variable that leads to tragedies like school shootings and kids who commit suicide rather than endure more bullying from their peers.

We're not experts on bullying or human behavior, but we see no downside in trying what Ottinger proposes.