I am watching the first episode of, AlRawabi School for Girls, on Netflix. The mini series is set at an Arab school for girls in Jordan. The title of the first episode makes a statement, “School Was My Happy Place.” As Americans, we may imagine a school in the Arabic world as an undesirable place. The title of the episode makes a point of telling us this is not the case. The main character enjoyed school, until the events that transpire in the first episode.
Just like American schools, the Alrawabi School for Girls has bullies. Just like American schools, some of these bullies are empowered by who their parents are. Just like American schools, the victims of the bully are powerless and discredited. Sadly, just like American schools, the popular girl, the bully, empowered by who her father is, controls the school and people knowingly go along with her evil actions in hopes of gaining a place in her crowd of popularity.
In the first episode, “the popular girl” accuses a girl of touching her breasts in the locker room. In truth, popular girl pushed the innocent girl into her. No one in the locker room really believed the innocent girl did anything wrong, but they said otherwise in hopes of winning the favor of the popular girl.
Then the “the popular girl” learns that the innocent girl told teachers at the school that the popular girl skipped school. In fact, the popular girl skipped school to meet a man online. This would be concerning in American culture. Imagine the gravity of such allegations in an Arabic country. In retaliation, the popular girl beats the innocent girl nearly to death.
Somehow, the school finds the innocent girl at fault for her own near fatal fate in the beating. The innocent girl’s own parents do not believe her. The story may seem contrived, but the story depicts a reality that has played out again and again in schools in Arab countries, and the story depicts a reality that has played out again and again in schools in America.
The power of the popular girl comes from every student around her feeling a need to be accepted at any cost. The power of the popular girl comes form seriously bad parenting on the part of her parents. The power of the popular girl comes from school officials putting politics and the power of parents above right and wrong.
The most appalling of all of this, these sorts of inflictions continue on into our adult lives. People have such a need for acceptance that they are easy recruits for people like the popular girl. I experienced this when I first moved to Wildwood. Eventually, people saw through the actions of the “popular girl of Wildwood”, but I still remember when people hopped on her bandwagon to run over me.
I will say this, if you find yourself a victim of false social allegations and are attacked as a result. I believe you. When the world feels like it is against you, I am rooting for you. I believe you. I am not afraid of adversity, and I believe you.