UPDATE: ‘The Bully’ — St. Charles 7th-Grader Writes, Directs a Powerful YouTube Video
UPDATED AT 10AM FRIDAY, AUG. 26
A must-see YouTube video written and directed by a St. Charles soon-to-be seventh grader packs a powerful anti-bullying message — and has more than 139,000 views since its Aug. 21 debut. WGN morning news plans to showcase the video during its 7 a.m. Monday broadcast, and the video is gaining recognition locally, regionally and nationally.
You can see the video embedded in this article or click here to view it on YouTube.
Jonah Maxwell wrote the script and directed the video with help from his dad and mom. He reached out to friends and classmates to participate in the 6 minute, 37 second video that features a hometown setting, arresting images and a smart, targeted narrative.
“… We knew who locked him in a cupboard, and we know who sent him really bad Tweets and messages, but I think we all expected somebody else to do something about it,” Jonah says. “… If you’re not part of the solution, you could still be part of the problem.”
The problem, of course, is bullying — which has taken on malignant power in the Internet Age. The video piggybacks on many of the same messages communicated by Kane County Chief Judge Susan Clancy Boles and Judge Clint Hull, who have been visiting schools throughout Kane County with an outreach program on cyber-bullying.
Hull is now teaming up with Judge Rene Cruz, and they are doing their first “Worries of the World Wide Web” presentation at Simmons Middle School next Monday.
Jonah Maxwell’s video grabs you from the beginning with images of students in masks — faceless and threatening — as Jonah describes the reality for many bullying victims.
” … My phone now scares me. School scares me … ”
“… My dad told me that, when he was a kid, the bullying would stop at 3:30 every day. I told him, it’s not like that anymore. They can get you 24/7.”
And the video backs up its emotional content with hard facts.
“In the United States, over 3 million students are victims of bullying every year. Bullying can be physical, sexual, verbal or emotional. In 2016, it’s almost impossible to guess how much of this goes on after school on Facebook, Twitter, Poke, Whisper, Tumblr, Boxer, Line or Instagram.”
Unlike some other videos and PSA’s that focus only on the problem, “The Bully” shows how good a young person’s school experience can be, provides examples of friendly behavior and offers practical advice. With school starting in St. Charles and other districts throughout Kane County, the video’s message is perfectly timed.
“If it’s happening to you, you have to tell someone. If you’re doing it, remember this: It’s just as easy to be nice as it is to be mean …
“And manners and respect cost nothing.”
