Facing the Schoolyard Bully: How to Raise an Assertive Child in an Aggressive World

Kim Zarzour's book, Facing the Schoolyard Bully, discusses the ubiquitous scourge of bullying and offers suggestions on how to reduce bullying and its effects. The advice includes a range of remedies targeting the realms of law, education and parenting. The role of both the bully and the victim are discussed in depth. My own personal experiences confirm some of Zarzour's thesis, but contract it as well. She seems to take the position that the qualities of the victim should be changed in order to accommodate the reality of the bully. While it is true that guiding a child to become more assertive will likely reduce some bullying, the position discards the reality that some people are shy and unassertive by nature. Moreover, our society is excessively individualistic and enamored with competition. No doubt this fact contributes to the rise of the bully and the under appreciation of those with a cooperative and communal nature. Should we change the child who is the victim of the sociopath bully or should we change the society that rewards and encourages the sociopath? Zarzour encourages the involvement of law enforcement in many situations within the school environment. While this may be of help in a civilized country such as Zarzour's native Canada, this is likely to be counterproductive in the United States where law enforcement is based on bullying. I found the book a worthy read, but I do not agree with its view of the victim as culpable, to some degree, for the bully's wrath. A better solution, I think, would be mandatory psychological help for sociopaths, who no doubt, are the source of much of society's problems, not only during youth, but throughout life.