Cyber-bullying…that’s cute.

Mid-November. After my first comment on the wall of an anti-strike group, I’m referred to as Shelby 2lastnames by a few of the guys who disagree with me. In their defense, there are 11 letters and a hyphen to deal with every time you type Kay-Fantozzi. It becomes a running joke among my friends and me by Thanksgiving—needless to say, I’ve totally dismissed it.
Mid/Late December. A Facebook group is created by the same guys: “Proud to only have one last name.” Hmm. Wall Posts: “if i had 2 last names id ask santa to take one.” “anyone with two last names is probably really gay.” “really really really really really gay.”

Um.

These words were originally part of a private conversation, and I had every intention of keeping them private—I believe that the wiser thing to do in this situation would be to show no reaction at all. But there comes a point in every fight when you have to start sticking up for yourself. So here we go…

The three guys that started this group just don't get that I'm not in it for the conflict; I actually care about the strike and find the subject very interesting when talking to mature people about it. Unfortunately, these guys assume I'll resort to their methods and just start insulting people for the fun of it instead of presenting a real argument. And yes, I've had my moments, but not like them. I’ve yet to resort to name-calling. I’ve yet to organize a group online simply for the sake of insulting another student or group of students…

I don't get online and argue about the strike because I thrive off of drama. I genuinely do want people to get facts. All these kids hear is school board propaganda from the mouths of their parents (who, right off the bat, have a different—not worse—different perspective because they are taxpayers) and they don't even understand that they have the right to their own perspective, whether or not they care about their teachers. They're too busy writing on Facebook walls, repeating verbatim everything that their parents tell them to think. All they have the mental capacity to do is be reactive, versus proactive, when it comes to information. They'll never look up the facts for themselves and make their own conclusions, they'll just reflect on other people's opinions with such profound statements as "Teachers are bitches."

I’m not trying to be rude with the whole “I know something you don’t know” argument, but before us lay the facts: exhibit A—there’s something, exhibit B—I know it, exhibit C—they don’t. I’m not going to participate in some sort of dysfunctional internet battle of “let’s see who can fit the most swearing in one wall post” to decide who’s right about the strike. I wish I could say I’m completely unaffected by stupid stuff like this. In the end, we’re all human, and making that group was definitely a lame thing to do—I hate to use the ‘f-word’ but my feelings were kind of hurt. However, in the end I recognize this for what it really is. It’s quite funny, actually. It’s a Currie move! “Well, we don’t have any facts to destroy your argument, so we’re just going to try to undermine you by breaking morale.”

Nice try, guys. I’m still supporting the teachers 110%, I still have two last names, I still, uh…have a boyfriend, but good luck with the rumor mill shenanigans.

You know, what’s really fun is that I could raise hell over this—first on Facebook, then at school. And don’t think I wouldn’t do it—you’ll find that teacher’s pets are often also tattletales. But there are a few reasons that I’m 95% sure I’m just going to let it go:

1. The break. For their sake, I really hope this fizzles out in the next few weeks and the issue has disappeared by the time we’re back in school.
2. The kids. They probably just don’t know any better. By that I may mean they don’t realize how such a statement could be interpreted insulting, or I may simply mean that they don’t know who they’re dealing with here…
3. I would so win. First off, I’m the good kid. Come on. Secondly, I have two last names because my parents are separated. Insulting a family situation=not okay by any set of standards. And thirdly, there are specific rules against this sort of thing, both on Facebook and in our agenda. I would hate for anyone’s ego to be bruised.
4. Wait, a second.
5. I would love it if egos were bruised.

I’m…let’s say…75% sure I’m going to let it go.

That 75% of me says that I am assuming the worst about a large group of people—possibly some of the ~70 people joined the group without knowing its connotation, and not every kid opposed to the strike feels that way because their parents said they should. In fact, I’ve had some great exchanges with some kids who had genuine reasons for supporting the school board. But I’ve had just as many conversations with students who formed opinions before they even knew what was going on—and getting them to realize that is a long, hard process.

What they do after that doesn’t matter to me. Yeah, I’m going to try and convince them that supporting the teachers benefits them most in the end. But I’m not going to resort to personal attacks when I see that they don’t believe what I believe.

I’m not sure what my next move will be. There will be more board speeches, more wall posts, more hugs and glares and whispers and grins. I know where my support lies. I know my top priority is giving students a voice. And with these things in mind, I’ll do the only thing I can do—move forward, and keep pushing forward until the strike and all of the little battles fought this year are simply a thing of the past.

And if this is the kind of mucky path we all have to pull through to solve the problem—I wish everyone involved good luck.