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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Student at High School for Health Professions and Human Services, on School Bullying and Mental Health Support
5:12:22
·
178 sec
A ninth-grade student delivers a powerful testimony on the pervasive issue of bullying in schools and its impact on students' mental health and academic performance. She emphasizes the need for increased investment in support systems and programs to create safer, more inclusive school environments.
- Calls for funding more school counselors, social workers, and peer mentorship programs
- Advocates for ongoing anti-bullying training, effective anonymous reporting systems, and student-led equity councils
- Highlights the importance of mental health awareness and creating schools where kindness and respect for differences are the norm
Sama Mustafa
5:12:22
Good afternoon council members.
5:12:24
My name is Sama Mustafa and I'm a ninth grade student at the high school for health professions and human services.
5:12:29
Today, I'm not just speaking for myself.
5:12:32
I'm speaking for the children who get belittled and don't know how to stand up for themselves.
5:12:36
I'm speaking for the students who sit quietly in classrooms, not because they have nothing to say, but because they've been shut down too many times.
5:12:43
I'm speaking for the ones who hide behind silence, who can't find the words or the courage to ask for help.
5:12:49
I'm using my voice for the students who don't feel safe enough to use theirs.
5:12:54
Bullying in schools isn't always loud.
5:12:56
It's not just fists or insults.
5:12:57
It's the stares, the whispers, the exclusion.
5:13:00
It's the being targeted for your beliefs, identity, race, religion, or the way you look.
5:13:05
And it's the silence that follows.
5:13:07
The feeling that no matter what you do, you'll never truly belong.
5:13:10
This is real.
5:13:11
The CDC reports that over one in five students in The US are bullied and they're more likely to suffer from depression, anxiety, academic decline, and even suicidal thoughts.
5:13:21
I've seen it.
5:13:22
Students who are once full of passion and energy start to doubt themselves, lose focus, and give up.
5:13:27
Not because they don't care but because they're hurting.
5:13:30
And too often, they stay quiet because they think no one is listening.
5:13:34
That's why I'm here, to speak up for those who can't.
5:13:38
Education isn't just about learning from textbooks.
5:13:40
It's about learning in an environment where we feel safe, accepted, and valued.
5:13:45
So how do we create safer, more supportive schools?
5:13:47
It starts with real investment in both people and programs.
5:13:50
Number one, fund more school counselors and social workers.
5:13:54
Students need trusted adults they can turn to, not just in crisis but for daily support.
5:14:00
Number two, establish peer mentorship programs.
5:14:03
Students who face bullying and overcome pain are some of the best guys we have.
5:14:07
Let them lead.
5:14:09
My school already has something like this.
5:14:11
It's called peer group connection or PGC, but we need funding to keep it going and expand it to more schools.
5:14:18
Number three, require real ongoing anti bullying training for students and staff.
5:14:23
A one time slideshow doesn't build a safe culture.
5:14:26
Consistent, effective training requires resources.
5:14:30
Number four, build anonymous reporting systems that actually work and protect students.
5:14:34
Technology costs money, but so does silence.
5:14:37
We need tools a student can trust and that takes investment.
5:14:42
And finally, create student led equity and inclusion councils in every school.
5:14:47
We know what our schools need, but we can't lead these initiatives without structure, support, and yes, funding.
5:14:53
Give us the tools and we'll do the work.
5:14:55
May is mental health awareness month.
5:14:58
There is no better time to show us our that our well-being and voices matter.
5:15:02
We always say that students are the future, but how can we build tomorrow if we're being broken today?
5:15:07
I'm not asking for for perfect schools, I'm asking for safe ones.
5:15:11
For schools where kindness is expected, not rare.
5:15:14
Where differences are respected, and where every student knows they belong.
5:15:17
Support us and we will thrive.
5:15:19
Thank you.