Heartwarming Act Defies Bullying in Second Grade

How could an entire class in Israel boycott a second-grade girl? It's a question many of us should ask ourselves. But an equally important question is how to empower other children to recognize bullying and stand against it.

Going against the grain is tough at any age, but when values are taught at home and parents frequently talk about the importance of accepting marginalized kids, it becomes part of a child's daily life, with no sense of shame attached. Quite the contrary.

This is exactly what happened recently to a girl named Shachar, who discovered a whole class boycotting a second-grade girl. Her mother posted on social media, describing how at recess, Shachar would choose not to play with her classmates but rather with the second graders. "Today at recess, she went to play with them and found out that one of the girls declared a rule that no one was allowed to play with a specific kid," her mother wrote. "The boys quickly ran away, but Shachar chased after them to tell them that her teacher, who is also the assistant principal, would hear about their boycott if it didn't stop immediately."

Sweet Shachar didn't stop there.

After warning the boys, Shachar approached the girl who initiated the boycott and asked her, "How would you feel if someone else decided to boycott you? How would you feel if the entire class shunned you and refused to talk to you?"

The girl leading the boycott felt ashamed and, within minutes, ended up crying and telling Shachar, "I have feelings too, even though I'm strong."

Unfazed, Shachar stood her ground. "If you're strong and have feelings, then how do you think the girl feels who is less strong than you, and also has feelings?"

Her mother concludes the post by saying: "It all starts at home," a powerful reminder for every parent to invest a little more than mere reading.