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Since the beginning of time, people have been bullying others. Whether it's to make themselves feel better, to gain popularity or just as a way to show aggression, bullying is nothing new.
Although a spotlight has been shown on bullying for the past couple years nationally, a local ordinance has thrown the state of Wisconsin into the bullying debate as the Monona Common Council recently introduced a new way to handle bullies: fine their parents.
Under Monona's new ordinance, parents of children who are repeatedly seen bullying others can receive a fine up to $114.00. It is my understanding that the ordinance should open the eyes of the parents, hold them accountable and allow them to see the consequences of their actions, as many suspect "bad" parents raise bullies.
But I don't think that is true.
There have to be some "good" parents out there that are unaware that their child is a bully. Maybe their child is just trying to fit in. Maybe their child really is just an "out of control" teenager. Either way, the parents didn't raise them that way. The bullying was learned from elsewhere.
In my opinion, fining parents for a child's bad behavior, in this instance, bullying, is ultimately ineffective. Maybe it's because I'm not a parent and haven't had to discipline my own child. But I would think the bullying would be on the child, since it was an action of the child, and that the parent would have the responsibility of talking to that child about their bad behavior and the consequences that ensue.
I'd like to think I'd be a "good" parent. I'd like to think that if my child was a bully, I would know and I would teach them to be more compassionate.
I'll tell you one thing for sure though. If I did have a child and that child was caught bullying, you bet they'd get an earful from me. And I surely wouldn't be paying that fine!
Kids should be responsible for their own actions. Kids should feel the consequences that stem from bullying. In my opinion, the kids that bully should be paying that fine, not the parents.