Assalamu Alaikum.
Today the new student council got together to plan next year's events. Every year is always the same. So I offer up new ideas no one else has ever thought of. Instead of only wearing a colour for anti bullying, or cancer, why not put on a play about those subjects? Give meaning to those events. Make it exciting! Get other students who aren't on the council involved directly for once.
But the girl who takes the notes said no one would be interested and didn't welcome my idea. She wrote it down but clearly wasn't for it. I don't see why my idea should be shot down without even trying. How does she know what everyone else is thinking? She clearly doesn't care for it herself. But so what?! She's not the only one in the school. She doesn't own the school council. Everyone's ideas should be welcomed and appreciated, regardless.
One of the boys liked my idea and we should do a play in the hall for bullying and see what people do. I said, "Oh! You mean like a 'What would you do?' scenario?" "Yeah!" "Oh my gosh! That's a great idea! I love it!" "Yeah, and then we can let the teachers know so they don't do anything about it. And whoever intervenes can get a prize or something" She still didn't seem impressed. And oh well! It's not her decision. This is supposed to be a collaborative thing. You know I was really glad that someone was finally on my side, but I'm just so tired of the student council at my school. They never do anything. If someone does want to something, they won't let them and make them feel invalid and alienated. They ask for new ideas but accept none if it's not exactly what they want or if it's too different. I want to be the change I want to see in the world, but it's really hard when the people or club that's supposed help you realise your dream or vision for the school are same people weighing you down. I'm never really heard, seen or acknowledged. I try so hard, but it seems my efforts are always in vain.
Another idea unwelcome, was to ask everyone to write about a time when they were bullied and what they and/or someone else did in that scenario to stand up. Of course I wanted it to anonymous, and on identical pieces of paper so no one could tell, and have a member read them out loud after they put them in a box.
Wearing a colour doesn't change or influence people. It states, "We're going to pretend we care, but not actually do anything about it". If we do the exercise I offered, it gives everyone a chance to remember that it happens to everyone and not just someone else. It gives a chance to share our experiences and connect without being vulnerable. It also reminds us, that bullying is very real, and that we shouldn't just pretend it doesn't exist. It makes us feel and opens our eyes.
I also said we could watch a video about different students telling their story. And I offered doing something informative, like when and why was the anti bullying week started? By who? And it's relevance today here at the school and in our daily lives.
You'd think one of those awesome ideas would inspire her. Hopefully some of those ideas will be realised next year and not just thrown out like last night leftovers for the dogs.
I get the feeling they like my ideas, but don't like me. When I was grade nine I offered an activity where everyone writes something nice about everyone in the school but no one wanted to do it with me. They said it was too much trouble. So I did a small amount that I could handle on my own. I left the school for a year. When I came back, I was surprised to see pink post it notes on everyone's lockers saying different nice things about them by various people. I'm sure if I remarked to them that they finally used my idea, they would say no it's someone else's. I don't get credit for anything. I hate my school. I want to be with active people like me in a Muslim community.
