Bullying is an issue I just can't tolerate or walk away from. I've dealt with it all my life on a personal level and then unfortunately my son also had to endure bullying since he was in kindergarten to this day. I have never been someone to sit around with my mouth shut when something unjust is happening. I remember being in 4th grade at a catholic school and witnessing this boy Larry be the butt of everyones joke and I would feel so bad for this kid and it would make me so angry and so sad but at the time I didn't want to stir the pot so to speak so I didn't speak up. Well that didn't last very long. Larry was struggling in one of our classes and I offered to help him. Not that I was the smart kid in class but it was probably my way of reaching out to him so I started hanging out with him helping him with his work. I started to also get picked on because of my new friendship with him but I didn't care. He was a nice boy who carried my books for me everyday just because and he was a little quiet. One day at school in class I felt the teacher was really calling Larry out which was embarrasing to him and of course made all the other kids laugh and giggle more and I simply didn't appreciate it. So I politely asked this teacher to go in the hall with me so I could talk to her privately. In that moment I yelled at her. I don't know what came over me but I told her exactly how I felt about the situation and pointed out to her what she was doing was wrong and hurtful and shouldn't be tolerated. Well that didn't sit to well with her and I was sent to the office to deal with the principal. When my father, the police officer came and got me I knew I was gonna be in big trouble for disrespecting a teacher and blah blah blah but when we walked outside I made sure to say my peace. I told my father that before he punishes me he better be sure that's what he thinks is the right thing to do because he taught me to stand up for myself and for others and never let anyone treat anyone unkindly or make people feel bad about themselves and I told him what the teacher was saying and about all the bullying Larry had already been dealing with and this left my father speechless which was a shock all in itself. The point is I have always tried to be a part of the solution not the problem and I am taking a stand. I'm the mom every kid comes to when they have a problem because ill find a way to try and get it fixed. It starts with one. And I am still fighting to take a stand. The town I live in like many others does nothing about the bullying and it sickens me. I live in a big high school sports town where its more important to promote the high school football team then it is to raise awareness about bullying. It sicken me and saddens me. At this point I have started a group called Stand Against Bullying, Wilmington IL. Its not much but its a start. Parents and students have already come to me with the issues they are having not only with other kids but with school officials as well. I want to take to stand and I want to fight to end this. People should not be judged by race, beliefs, sexual orientation, appearances, disability, NOTHING. And I will stop at nothing to fight for those that can't. I don't know how or what yet but I'm taking the steps. Feel free to join my facebook group. Take a stand with me. If we stand for nothing we will fall for anything and I for one am not gonna let that happen.