by Lauren Showmaker

If someone said something you disagree with, what would you do?

You would think you would keep your opinions to yourself, right? That is common respect. But, in recent years, more and more people have ignored this common concept. The National Center of Education Statistics have found that 48% of schools reported an increase in acts of disrespect toward teachers and staff in the 2021-22 school year. Students disrespecting each other, and even outside of school, disrespect lurks everywhere. Why is this occurring?

The answer- Social Media.

Social media can foster disrespect in youth by providing a platform for anonymity and less accountability, leading to increased cyberbullying and rude comments that youth might not express offline. With people setting trends on social media, it promotes a divide in people. Additionally, parents tend to not notice or cannot monitor their children frequently enough to see what their children post or say online, which leads to children saying whatever they want without considering the repercussions. 

Imagine you post a picture of yourself on social media. You post it because you are proud of your appearance. You get comments saying “you look so pretty” and “so cute”, but you also get negative comments that can sometimes be so hurtful that it would be shocking if someone said that to you in person. This disrespect leads to insecurity within millions, especially women. This is part of why many adults are calling us “the Anxious Generation”, from the same titled book.

Now, if you comment something rude online, would you say it in person? In real life, people filter their thoughts. However, on social media, people say whatever they want whenever they want. We are inundated with comments, likes, and shares, constant feedback that is affecting peoples’ mental health on a daily basis. Many victims of hate tend to experience psychological distress filled with depression, anxiety, fear, and a lack of confidence. This affects students from fully grasping what they are learning and being disengaged in the classroom. 

However, schools are hoping to help youth make and be the change. And you can get involved in supporting that change at Palisades. 

Stand Up For Silence is striving to promote respect. The club works to make sure every student feels like they belong and reduce bullying and hate in our school. This student-led club promotes leadership within students, and strives students to notice hate and know how to handle it. Through school-wide activities, the club strives to reduce hate and discrimination in schools, and give students a voice in shaping school culture. 

 If you want to be the change, contact Mrs. Dengler (kdengler@palisadessd.org) and join the Stand Up For Silence club here at Palisades High School. 

Works Cited

Lurie Childrens. “Parenting Teens in the Age of Social Media.” Lurie Childrens, Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, 1 Sept. 2020, http://www.luriechildrens.org/en/blog/social-media-parenting-statistics/#:~:text=The%20consequences%20of%20excessive%20social,then%20erased%20by%20the%20app. Accessed 15 Sept. 2025.

National Center for Education Statistics. “Discipline Problems Reported by Public Schools.” Institute of Education Sciences, May 2022, nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator/a07/discipline-problems?tid=200. Accessed 15 Sept. 2025.