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Incredibly sad story, but....





...it's just bullying. Were there suicides like this in the 70's, 80's, and 90's? I'm sure there was just as much bullying going on then. I seriously don't understand how bullying could push someone to this point. It just doesn't comprehend in my head.

I think it has to do with technology. People are now constantly in contact with others. Also, I feel that the internet and social media and text messaging etc. have made a lot of people someone inept. I can (barely) remember a time without internet and cell phones. However, all you have to do is go about two classes behind me, and it's a whole new beast. My brother can't remember not having the internet, and had a cell phone when he was in 7th grade. Now, if you go a little younger, like the age of these girls, it's all they'v ever had. They never had to develop those pertinent interaction skills that are necessary to get through life, as they could simply get online and just type out what they feel-and think it out before hand rather than just reacting.

Bullying was bad when I was growing up but then again our parents would find out about it and were NOT afraid to step up and go door knocking. I do remember one time when something was said to me in regards to being adopted. I was 7 years old and got off the bus bawling because of what someone had said to me. My mother threw me in the car and went door knocking. Boy did I see and hear a whole lot. She went off on the girls mother and then the mother went off on her daughter who was older than me by about 4 yrs. Looking back, I am impressed with my mother for having my back like that. I am now friends with the person that said those mean things.

I can say that my moms was a rock in my life for standing up for me when I would get bullied. All the kids knew better than to bully me but would push the envelope and end up wishing they hadn't. All the guys and few girls that were bullies back in the day are now my freinds because they grew up and grew out of it.

TI, the parents today are afraid to step up for fear of guns in the hands of the parents of those bullies. jmo

Here's how you deal with bullies -

Knock 'em out once, and they'll leave you alone.


Just my theory.

You have very valid points Arch. I was just saying that there are a lot of parents out there that are not like you.

But then again, I haven't had to deal with the bullies due to the fact that my daughter is 26 and on her own. Now when the grandkids are old enough to have those issues lawdy help the kids that do it to them cuz those girls will just plain whoop the bullies asses.

My daughter used to get picked on for the way she runs. She's a long legged, knock kneed girl. (gets her long legs from daddy ) It was in softball. Bugged my daughter, until I said "look girl, we can't do anything about your legs - why don't you just tell the girls saying that stuff "I don't have to run fast when I hit the ball as far as I do"?

Shut those girls up in a day when they realized "gee, she's right."

With that - anytime my daughter USED to pick on someone, I'd remind her about how she didn't like being picked on. She understood.

Just this year, in the middle of the school year, they got a move in classmate. That's tough for any kid, I'm sure. Girls first name started with a P, and the last name was Pickle. ( I won't say her name - just imagine Patty Pickle, Pam Pickle, etc).

My daughter came home the first day this girl was there, and said people were picking on her because of her name.

"What did you do?" "I sat with her at lunch because I remember what it was like to be picked on and I didn't like it and she can't help what her name is and it's kind of like my knees".

My daughter is 100 times the person I was in school. She is sensitive - not only for herself, but for others. That makes me as proud of her as anything. (well, I guess when she jacks a line drive it makes me proud too - one of those liners that people duck to get out of the way of? I like that too) - or when she gets every spelling word right for the whole year....I like that too.

Kids learn to cope from, for the most part, their parents. Back to the Pickle girl. I help in school every other friday. After this girl moved in, the first friday I helped - I found out she was black, or African American. I find that neat - that my daughter never mentioned her race - just her name.

My daughter got that somewhere, didn't she? Yet I get indirectly accused of not liking our president because of his skin color? Oh, the irony.

I won't even go into telling about the "ginger" my daughter is friends with. (until frenchy started his thread, I'd never heard of ginger.)

j/c

I'm fully of the mind that "bullies" are more of an issue today than ever before for a single, broad reason:

Lack of social skills development due to too much computer/internet/gaming time.
The average child today spends as much or more time interacting with impersonal text messages than they do other actual humans. The gaming and internet world is rife with examples of crass, rude, disrespectful and/or downright abusive behavior being not only accepted, but encouraged as the social norm. Combine these things with a lack of consequences and a whole new social dynamic comes about, one where they think that the online behavior is acceptable.

Lastly, toss in a large dose of our enabler society where no child can do wrong lest you hurt their self-esteem and you've custom brewed a cocktail for people to treat each other like crap.


Unplug your children; have 'no electricity' days and make them go play tag, kick the can and chase lightning bugs. Spend time with them and teach them how to be human.

I agree with that 100%.

Arch, as many have told you on here you should be proud of the parent that you are. There are tons of kids out there that do not have parents that are even close to half the parent you are. I know it's not just you raising your daughter/kids but damn you should be very proud of how your kids are.

Your daughter sounds like she is an amazing young lady that will grow into an even more amazing young woman. If more parents were like you the issues of bullying would not be as bad as they are.

Tell her to keep the great work up and be proud of who she is.

I am also glad to hear that she doesn't see race. That is another huge step forward in eradicating racism and negativity due a person's skin/hair color.

I agree but I think the reason is broader..

A lot of kids today do lack respect, (for parents, teachers, other kids, everybody) just watch some Nick or Teen Nick, the kids are brutal to each other and none of them have an ounce of respect for the goofy adult authority figures on the show.... but in the end they all think it's funny.. in real life at the end of the half hour, one party usually isn't laughing..

I also think that cyber bullying is a big problem, it's easier to say things on facebook or a website than it is to actually confront somebody..

Then there is the response, kids are taught to eat it, just take it, work it out, be their friend... If more parents would teach their kids to first tell the other kid to stop it and if that doesn't work, punch the bully in the mouth, a lot of it would stop.

Then there are the detached parents who aren't even around enough to know when something is wrong with their kids...

Then there are the parents who bully their own kids so they think it's funny when their kids pick on smaller weaker kids because that is the relationship model they were taught...

That is some of the reasons off the top of my head and in no particular order, there may be others

A while back on the school bus some kid grabbed my son's hair and slammed his head into a window. He grabbed their wrist and twisted it, just like I showed him. He simply restrained the other student and called for assistance.

School authorities did nothing but say "nobody should be touching anybody".

I told my son, in their presence, that the next time somebody slammed his head into a window, he was to punch them right in the mouth, with intent to cause serious bodily harm. Then we would press criminal charges against the individual student, and if the school system had prior knowledge of the students violent acts, as they did in this case, they would face charges, as well.

Another incident involved a student snapping pictures and forwarding them to a pedophile. I raised hell, while the school did nothing because the individual was a good student. I asked the school cop if he was armed, when he asked why I told him that if this happened again he would need a gun to stop me, and that my intent would be to make absolutely certain that the student in question never snapped a picture again.

They have no interest in controlling the animals, in fairness they are probably tired of getting sued. Your kids are on their own.

Just had a conversation over easter with my sister and bro in law. Their twin boys - in first grade - the principal is called into the classroom almost every day. (not for my nephews mind you). Seems there is a kid in the class that does anything and everything he can to be a pain in the rear.

He even drops trou - just for a reaction. He'll hit kids for no reason.

My comment to my sis was "why does the teacher need to call the principal for those things. Why can't the teacher do anything about it?"

Her reply? Which I have found out is true: Teachers can't discipline kids. If the teacher spanks - they run the risk of getting in big trouble."

Sending the kid to the principals office is the best they can do. Most of the time, you can't do that cause the kid won't go. So you have to call the principal, have him/her come to class, and physically remove the problem student, only to have said student back in class the next day - or even later that day.

The kid comes from a horrible home life.........but no one is allowed to correct the kid in school for fear of a lawsuit.

Neat story. I do believe it fits in here. Good read, about bullies.

http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/news?slug=dw-wetzel_georges_st_pierre_addresses_bullying_042611

Summary: Georges St. Pierre - welterweight champ of UFC was bullied as a kid. Beat up. Many times. Because he didn't dress right, had acne, and wasn't into hockey.

He fought back, but he got his butt kicked, often. As he grew a little , he was able to hold his own. He says he knows most kids that are bullied can't do that - but he encourages them to keep on going, because things change.

I just thought it fit here. Wouldn't take but 2 minutes for you to read the article.