Another tragic story from Thomas J. Billitteri is of 11 year old Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover who hung himself in April 2009 after bullies repeatedly called him gay; his death helped prompt Massachusetts to pass a strict anti-bullying law last spring. It’s horrible to hear such grievous stories of young children ending their existence due to harsh comments from bullies. On the other hand bullying can lead to destructive behavior, which can lead to children bringing guns to school to seek revenge on those who have wrongfully treated them. Such as a seventh-grader at DeKalb High School in DeKalb, Missouri Nathan Feris that had more than enough after enduring four years of taunting from other children who called him “chubby” and
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A study by The Safe School Initiative which is a partnership between the U.S. Department of education and The Secret Service examined 37 school shootings or school attacks that involved 41 assailants from the years 1974 to 1999 when the research was conducted. The Secret service analyzed the information from each account and conducted interviews with 10 of the shooters from the incidents and the findings were that most of the attackers felt harassed, bullied, threatened, attacked or injured by others prior to each incident. Also nearly 75% of the attackers threatened killing themselves, made suicidal gestures or actually attempted to commit suicide before they had attacked the schools claims Finessa Ferrell-Smith. She also notes research that was conducted in 1993 indicates that children that had been bullied suffer from depression and low self-esteem well into adulthood. Children and adolescents have been known to commit suicide as a result of being bullied, this tragic outcome is becoming known as “bullycide.” It’s tragic that children so young will end their lives because of the cruel and heartless nature of the bullies.
Those who oppose laws against bullying have quoted the old phrase "sticks and stones." I think the people who take a "sticks and stones" attitude have never had a chance to witness the effects of bullying. Verbal abuse and emotional distress, after all, leave no visible scars -- until now. Photographer Rich Johnson recently completed a photo project designed to illustrate the invisible pain caused by verbal abuse. (“It’s Time to Outlaw
A study by The Safe School Initiative which is a partnership between the U.S. Department of education and The Secret Service examined 37 school shootings or school attacks that involved 41 assailants from the years 1974 to 1999 when the research was conducted. The Secret service analyzed the information from each account and conducted interviews with 10 of the shooters from the incidents and the findings were that most of the attackers felt harassed, bullied, threatened, attacked or injured by others prior to each incident. Also nearly 75% of the attackers threatened killing themselves, made suicidal gestures or actually attempted to commit suicide before they had attacked the schools claims Finessa Ferrell-Smith. She also notes research that was conducted in 1993 indicates that children that had been bullied suffer from depression and low self-esteem well into adulthood. Children and adolescents have been known to commit suicide as a result of being bullied, this tragic outcome is becoming known as “bullycide.” It’s tragic that children so young will end their lives because of the cruel and heartless nature of the bullies.
Those who oppose laws against bullying have quoted the old phrase "sticks and stones." I think the people who take a "sticks and stones" attitude have never had a chance to witness the effects of bullying. Verbal abuse and emotional distress, after all, leave no visible scars -- until now. Photographer Rich Johnson recently completed a photo project designed to illustrate the invisible pain caused by verbal abuse. (“It’s Time to Outlaw