Prejudice-Real Life Example

EITHER

• Have you ever been in the company of a group of which you clearly were not included? Describe the circumstances. How did you act? How did the situation / event affect you?

OR

• Have you ever been part of a group of people that were unkind to one or more individuals? Describe the circumstances. What caused you to behave the way you did? How did you feel then? How do you feel about the circumstances / events in retrospect?

In Primary 4, when I changed school to join the GEP programme, I had to start to take the school bus from school back to home. On the first day of school, when I first boarded the school bus after school, I was stopped by a bully that was taking the same school bus as me. I was not the only victim of the incident. I was verbally insulted and almost physically injured if the bus uncle did not come in time.

After clarifying the details with the other students on board the same bus, I understood that that particular student was a problem not only in class but also a nuisance to the bus driver and passengers. He often ran about the bus when the bus is on the road, shouts, swears and often shout profanities as well as bully (both verbally and physically) those who are smaller than him. In actual fact, I was considered a "newcomer" and if he had known that I was not smaller than him, he would not have interfered with my affairs. I was sad and afraid of what would come in the next few weeks.

Since that incident, he had not bother me neither did I bother him but the bully of the real "newcomers" persisted. A week after the incident took place, the school counselor went about the new classes introducing herself and asking us if we had any problems with our school work and life. I decided to report the student to her. Although I did not know what had happened, I guess the counselor reported it to the teacher and the teacher reprimanded him. The next day, he seemed more passive than usual.

However, as expected, the bullying and shouting continued, if not, he would not be so notorious. Within the next two years, there were numerous complaints from the passengers of the school bus as well as from teachers and the school bus uncle. One complaint was made by a victim of the bullying while another was regarding the swearing and running around in the bus. Several teachers came aboard our school bus a few times to reprimand us, especially the bully and his "gang". To no avail, the irresponsible behaviour continued and persisted.

It was only in my last year in Primary 6 that the school took charge of the situation. For example, any student who did not buckle their seatbelt on the bus would have their names sent to the principal office and face the consequences. Fortunately, the behaviours of the "bully" and his gang got less worse and slowly diminished. It could be due to a serious punishment that was administered to him, or counselling or him maturing. Whatever the case was, I could heave a sign of relief for the school bus uncle, the teachers, the students aboard the bus and last but not least for myself. I hoped that another "bully" would not appear and disrupt the school peace and environment once again.

From this whole incident, I have learnt many concepts as well as the fundamentals of what I later known as prejudice, in this case, prejudice against those who are younger and of different character and personality. I learnt that prejudice is frowned upon and might lead to consequences that would prove undesirable.