2. A reflection on a current educational issue in Sydney relating to culture and identity.

Bullying is an ongoing problem, which is being experienced in all schools. Students get bullied for many different reasons, but with one, which is going to be particularly focused on which is bullying because of identity and culture.  This theme links to many readings about racism and cultural politics, which have been discussed in class. So, why do some students get bullied? Unfortunately, “there are stereotypes of people who get bullied based upon seeming different in some way (Butler, 2007).” But we are all different, so why do some get bullied over others? Identity and culture play a vital role in the education system as it influences the way students learn and even interact at school. The author states that, “the level of bullying reflects a school's culture and some principals work hard to manage the problem (NewsLifeMedia, 2013)”. Although bullying is a no go zone in all schools around Sydney, many of it goes unseen, leaving the victims to suffer miserably. There needs to be strategies that have been tested and can be implemented successfully in all schools in order to ensure that no student is scared to present their identity and the culture they are apart of.

Bullying is a subject that ties to racism and the future of education. “Young people are bullied for personal identities they have or are believed to have (Butler, 2007)”. Thus, when in a school environment and you appear to be different in terms of colour, religion, or any other aspect you become more susceptible to bullying. Many bullies’ who harass students because of their culture or identity are usually unaware of what they even consist of. The school culture needs to be firm and present to all that this form of bullying will not be tolerated, and that no identity or culture is valued over another. According to Wadham and Pudsey (2007)“it is vital to understand what culture is and how it is connected to the education system if we want to understand our students and the world of which they are apart of.” Thus, in order to understand why bullying takes place, you need to be aware of the relationship between culture and education.

Some may even say that school is a bully system of its own, from the teachers to the peers to the education system. Students are subconsciously being shaped into being someone, sometimes someone that there not.  It’s a whirlpool of emotions that circles and doesn't really change; it merely just adjusts and becomes more suitable.  It relates to the survival of the fittest, because if you don't get through it, get through the expectation, be all that you can be, what would of been the point of 12 years in school? What would be your future if you didn’t make use of you past (primary/high school), who would you be, what will you stand for, what would your purpose be... hence your identity. This culture has been embedded in us to the point its become a norm, we follow in like robots on a conveyor belt… with the faulty ones being thrown off the manufacturing line. 

References:

·      NewsLifeMedia. (2013). Schools 'should be ranked on bullying' to prevent mental health problems. Parenting.  Retrieved September 23, 2013, from http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/parenting/schools-should-be-ranked-on-bullying-to-prevent-mental-health-problems-psychiatrist-says/story-fngqim8m-1226651773491.

·      Wadham, B. Pudsey, J. & Boyd, R. (2007). Culture and education. Sydney: Pearson Education. Chapter 1: What is culture?

·      Butler, V. (2007). Young people’s experiences of, and solutions to, identity related bullying: Research report.  Retrieved September 23, 2013, from http://www.barnardos.org.uk/26211_barnardos_report_e.pdf.