[mum_mum]

ABC2 9.30pm tonight
http://www.abc.net.au/tv/guide/abc2/201201...1-11T213158.htm

This is a must-see for parents and teachers.

Phoebe Prince was a 15-year-old schoolgirl from County Clare in Ireland who died by suicide in January 2010.

The documentary uses first-hand testimonies - including those of her father, Jeremy Prince; the people of South Hadley; and journalists who have covered the case - to chronicle allegations that Phoebe suffered harassment at a Massachusetts high school after she moved to the United States in the summer of 2009, and how her untimely death resulted in six teenagers facing charges including statutory rape and harassment.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suicide_of_Phoebe_Prince

Who Failed Phoebe Prince?
http://www.bostonmagazine.com/articles/phoebe_prince

Teens Who Admitted to Bullying Phoebe Prince Sentenced
http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/05/05/teens-...rince-sentenced

Phoebe Prince School Bullying Lawsuit: Massachusetts Case Settled For $225,000
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/28/p..._n_1172755.html

[JustBeige]

Poor kid.

So many things that compounded to make her do this to herself.

I dont understand why her parents just didnt take her out of school when they realised the school was doing jack sh*t to fix it or make them (the bullies) accountable.

However, the school statement was unclear as to whether any of the accused individuals were actually expelled from the school. At least one news report stated that all of the accused were still at the school

from wiki.

but W.T.F!? is wrong with those 'kids' that bullied her. I would love to know what makes it OK in their heads that they did this to her for such a long time without once thinking 'hmmm, this really isnt OK, maybe I should stop'.

On the day of Prince's suicide, three of the accused, including the male football player who had earlier had the relationship with Prince, allegedly engaged in persistent taunting and harassment of Prince at school, in the library and school auditorium. One of the accused allegedly followed Prince home from school in a friend's car, threw an empty can at her, and yelled an insult. It was right after this final incident that Phoebe Prince hanged herself at home

from wiki

[X5-494]

This reminds me so much of my high school and the horrible "girls" that relentlessly bullied me. I can guarantee that I have felt like committing suicide because of them more then once when I was there. It still brings back very, very painful memories. I have been back to my "home town" once since I left and that was once too many. They also didn't think that there was anything wrong with what they did. I now have a permanent injury from one of them which causes massive amounts of pain. No one has ever apologized.

Bullying is so wide spread, so integrated into the teenage culture that most people just let it go. Just because someone is pretty, popular, has money, is good at sport, etc is NOT an excuse, reason or get out of jail free card to bully, harass or be mean to others. Parents need to open their eyes to their popular and pretty little darlings. They need to take responsibility for who and what their child is. Sometimes that pretty exterior hides a very ugly person underneath.

ETA: The so called "punishment" that these bullies received is a joke ! Suspended sentences and community service ? What a complete waste of money and time for the courts. They ALL should have had jail time. How did this sentence provide any punishment to the bullies ? What type of "punishment" will they receive when they get caught out with the next victim ? I highly doubt whether or not this will stop them.

This post has been edited by X5-494: 11/01/2012, 08:59 AM

[I'm Batman]

I think assault and harassment in schools should see minors charged.

I don't accept that just because they are "children" they dont understand that it is wrong to violently attack and persistently harass someone. I find the penalties and lack of interest the police have in assault pretty low, I remember a video of a person glassing someone was handed into the police, who said they still couldnt charge this woman. The victim has a lifetime injury due to the glassing.

Bullying and harassment online should be a criminal offence, its just to easy because there are no tangible repercussions for assult and harassment in our schools, out of our schools. A child in nsw died in a schoolyard fight, no one has been charged, apparently no one saw a thing. Its not acceptable that your child should go to school with the known risk they will a victim of assault and theres **** all those in charge can do about it.

Those who fight in schools shouldn't be treated to a "holiday", which is essentially what suspension is. They should be at school, doing work, separate from their peers.

I cant see how bullying, and bullies will ever do anything but prevail when there are no mechanisms for the schools/laws to deal with it and its a oh well what can you do situation.

[J-A]

I couldn't read this and not reply..

Both my DS & DD have been bullied at school and it just breaks my heart to hear of children taking their own lives over the pain they endure. My heart breaks for the parents because I KNOW I go to bed most nights wondering what I have done or what can I do to protect my children. Both my children are good looking smart nice kids who come from a good caring family, which I personally think is the problem.

I know my DD came close to not being with us and I like to think I'm a fairly involved switched on parent but I didn't see the signs until it was almost to late. She is now about to start year 12 & can't wait for school to be over even though we haave given the option to move she refuses, she wants to finish school where she started.

Just before the holidays my DS was quite badly assualted at school, he told the school he ran into a pole. They rang me to pick him up and not one question was asked it's as if they where happy he didn't tell the truth, I can tell you that I took one look and knew he did not run into a pole. It took 3 weeks for the bruising and swelling to disappear from his face. He was 13 in year 8, he was also quite badly harrassesed through facebook. We have contacted the school & blocked the kids on facebook but we are all anxious about the start of school. I will homeschool him this year if I have to until DD finishes year 12 then we will be out of this town if things don't improve.

I don't know what is wrong with schools & why they seem so slow to act, it feels the system is set up for the bullies not the bullied. I have told the school if my DS gets assaulted again I will go to the police just wish I had done it first time but DS didn't want me to he thought it would make things worse.

Suspending is a joke the kids like this and wear it as a badge of honour. The message is just not getting out there and unfortunately nothing happens to these kids in school so they grow into adult bullies who then reproduce..

Urgh sorry for hijacking this thread, not even sure how many people even come in here . I just feel so strongly that something more needs to be done as this softly softly approach sure aint working as sadly for every story we read in the news there are 100's maybe more stories that just aren't told. I worry for my younger DS & soon to be born bub. I don't think I even want them to go to school..

J-A

[~maryanna~]

I have been the victim of bullying and so has my child, since kindergarten. Once he was was pushed in the toilet, he has been strangled by another kid, called names and other things.

I have spoken to the teachers and they never did anything. It actually seemed they were on the bullies side and said that my child just has to deal with it. They told him just to keep away. Nothing was ever said to the bullies, nothing.

[Boys Rock]

,Urgh sorry for hijacking this thread, not even sure how many people even come in here . I just feel so strongly that something more needs to be done as this softly softly approach sure aint working as sadly for every story we read in the news there are 100's maybe more stories that just aren't told. I worry for my younger DS & soon to be born bub. I don't think I even want them to go to school..

J-A

Oh my goodness JA!! Best of luck to your DD who is completing senior this year - a very brave girl IMO.

What have we come to as a society when your DS has to lie about what happened to his face?? I am stressed about my DS starting school this year as he has a speech delay, I can only hope he is not picked on




OP - Thanks for the links - very interesting reading