NEWS ARTICLE:Teen Commits Suicide after Bullying: Parents Sue School For Son's Death

[Ken785]

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/MindMoodNews/story?id=7228335&page=1

Heres a comment left by someone. I thought it was pretty wise. I think everyone should remember this should you ever have kids and they're being bullied:

"About 53 years ago, my grandmother gave this old man some words that have stayed with me my entire life. I went to her in tears after yet another day of name calling and bullying from a gang of boys at school. I was thirteen and felt weak and humiliated. I thought my life was over. She took me to the front door,opened it, and told me that if I walked out and met 10,000 new people every single day, it would take me over a thousand years to even come close to meeting everyone.

She then looked me straight in the eye and asked me if it was true what they said about me...."Are you a ___? Do you actually do ____?" When I told her no......she said "Well then, why do you care what four insignificant, little yo-yo's think about you when the world has millions and millions of wonderful people that will accept and love you for who you are? Don't you dare waste one second of your precious life worrying about what people say to or about you! As long as you know the truth about what's in your heart, let them talk!! Life is too short and the world is too big to care about such things." The wisest woman I ever met...my grandma. Parents, teach your children that the world is waiting for them. High school is just one little key on the piano of life!"

 

[Jitterbug]

My Dad was bullied at school as he was puny and weak - easy target. He cried to my Grandpa, and got this response: "Get stronger, they'll stop bothering you." So off he went to do push-ups, pull-ups, etc. and learn how to fight, and the bullies soon left him alone.

When I was just old enough, Dad got his mate who's a cop to teach me & other kids self-defence. Mum & other folks taught me verbal jiujitsu. Kids at school who tried any sh!t on me got a nasty surprise. Bullying attempts often turned into them running to the teacher crying.

The point is that the world is cruel, and the first stage is at school where the kids are ruthless to each other. Parents should teach their kids how to best fight back. Philosophical talks are all good but without the real sh!t to back it up, it's just pointless farting around. Bullies don't care about your philosophy or karma.

 

[piranha45]

parents' fault, not the school's.

 

[ketostix]

parents' fault, not the school's.

Maybe if the kid was be bullied in the parents' homes. The school faculty know the bullying is going on and they think it's funny. Public schools are a joke. They should maintain order and discipline instead of the 3 ring circus that public schools typically are.Although, in a way the parents are to blame for rearing heathens and complaining when a school does try to disipline.

 

[OzyBoy]

If i had kids that were getting bullied at school i would probably send them off to self defense classes. Who's going to continually bully some one if they are going to get their ass kicked? :kick:

 

[Ken785]

I know what its like to be bullied in high school. I really feel for the kid. I feel even worse for the pain that his parents have to endure. You know their good people when they don't want the money but want to see a stop to bullying instead. They should just sue the school for the money since the school obviously doesn't care and start some type of foundation under the kids name or something.

In a way, I kind of feel sorry for the bully too, because 10-15 years from now when he's an adult and hopefully a mature one, he's going to look back at his high school days and have to live with the fact that he basically assisted and was the cause of someones suicide.

I think they should take all high school bullies and put them in their own school. Let them bully each other. Either that or put up some "3 strikes" rule where if you get caught bullying 3 times you're forced for homeschooling or something. No one should ever have to endure that type of harassment. - Ken785

 

[Luthor Rex]

"About 53 years ago, my grandmother gave this old man some words that have stayed with me my entire life. I went to her in tears after yet another day of name calling and bullying from a gang of boys at school. I was thirteen and felt weak and humiliated. I thought my life was over. She took me to the front door,opened it, and told me that if I walked out and met 10,000 new people every single day, it would take me over a thousand years to even come close to meeting everyone.

She then looked me straight in the eye and asked me if it was true what they said about me...."Are you a ___? Do you actually do ____?" When I told her no......she said "Well then, why do you care what four insignificant, little yo-yo's think about you when the world has millions and millions of wonderful people that will accept and love you for who you are? Don't you dare waste one second of your precious life worrying about what people say to or about you! As long as you know the truth about what's in your heart, let them talk!! Life is too short and the world is too big to care about such things." The wisest woman I ever met...my grandma. Parents, teach your children that the world is waiting for them. High school is just one little key on the piano of life!"

This is pretty stupid and does not reflect just how bad bullying can be. The kid in the article was routinely physically attacked by groups of males, in front of teachers who did nothing. Maybe back in grandma's day it was about name calling, and the worst thing that would happen is you get a black eye, but with weapons and gangs in schools that's now how it is any longer.

 

[Ken785]

This is pretty stupid and does not reflect just how bad bullying can be. The kid in the article was routinely physically attacked by groups of males, in front of teachers who did nothing. Maybe back in grandma's day it was about name calling, and the worst thing that would happen is you get a black eye, but with weapons and gangs in schools that's now how it is any longer.

I do agree that her words dont address the bullying head on. Better advice would be to teach the kid to be more assertive or lift weights and take up a martial art or wrestling to defend himself if things ever got physical.

But what she says is true, don't let a few people bring you don't and not to care what they say or think because there are millions of others out there that are different.