Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 14 November 2012

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection

Social, Personal and Health Education Curriculum: Discussion with Comhairle na nÓg

2:40 pm

Mr. Stephen Keegan:

Deputy Dowds asked how to deal with text bullying and cyberbullying. The way to do so is the same way as one deals with any bullying, which is through education. People behave in a certain way because they were taught to do so. Human behaviour being what it is, we will not be able to cut out bullying completely. The way to deal with it is to equip people with the level of self-confidence and self-respect required to deflect it so if anyone attempts to bully them it will not affect them. I feel strongly about this because our education system does nothing to promote self-confidence in young people and places a massive emphasis on academic development over social development, which is wrong and crazy. One cannot respect other people if one does not respect oneself, and people need to learn this within the education system.

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