Perhaps people need to develop thicker skin. What are we going to do, suppress the student's free speech rights?

I am a gay man who grew up in a very conservative farming community and put up with bullying and harassment almost constantly. There will always be bullies and close-minded bigots. It's time that people took some personal responsibility and stop trying to restrict other people's rights in the name of saving a very small minority of people who have suffered.

How many millions of students are there in this country? How many commit suicide because of being bullied? I'm willing the go out on a limb here and say that the number is a fraction of 1%.

I don't see the need to pass legislation that could be used to restrict other peoples right of free speech. A better solution is for the communities to organize and raise these issues at the school board meetings and demand that the school administrators take some actions such as creating a way for the harassed students to resolve their issues in front of the school administration.

Actually, the best studies have shown that 25% of GLBT kids self-harm before age 20. For trans kids, it's 50%. We don't know the proportion of teen suicides who are GLBT though.

And of course some like Larry King get overtly killed by the bullying. Many more in "accidents".

Gay man,

Though it is impossible to determine how many children killed themselves solely from bullying, here are the statistics about suicide in 2006 (the last available data set): http://www.afsp.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.viewPage&page_id=04EB7....

Almost 10% of teenagers killed themselves in 2006. There are a range of reasons, but most include some form of depression, often coupled with substance abuse that was caused by the depression. And whats a leading cause in making teens depressed? Not fitting in, and being told how much you don't fit in.

Consider the fact that LGBT youth are 6 times more likely to kill themselves than a normal youth. As Zoe Brain pointed out, 25% of LGBT youth self-harm before 20. And trans youth face even worse problems by virtue of their gender identity. We have a fairly strict social strata in teenage-dom. And often, LGBT youth (especially trans youth) are already confused and depressed about their sexuality. The average LGBT youth figures out that they are probably queer by 13.5. Thats a horrible time to find out that you don't fit in.

You should also look at some of the research done by GLSEN about school bullying. While GLSEN is a LGBT network, they also deal a lot in general bullying and it's causes. Here is the website with a comprehensive look at their research: http://www.glsen.org/cgi-bin/iowa/all/research/index.html. You may be interested in From Teasing to Torment, a comprehensive study about harassment in schools nationally that does not focus on LGBT youth.

Free speech is an important right, but it does not include the right to say "Why don't you go home and shoot yourself, no one will miss you," which is what lead 17-year-old Eric Mohat to kill himself last year. Also, students give up their free speech rights the second they walk on school grounds. They aren't allowed to curse, but constantly degrading other students should be allowed? "Fuck" is bad, but "You're a stupid, ugly girl who nobody likes" is OK. How did that happen?

The problem is that parents and communities tend to idolize the children, and students get away with a lot these days. Or have you not heard about all the drunk teen parties and all the kids who smoke pot and everything else. Parents and schools brush it off as immaturity, something that isn't really harmful. Obviously, counting on community activism isn't working. Bullies are getting worse, especially because they have so many means to bully people now, particularly cyber-bullying.

Schools need comprehensive bullying policies because they have been proven to work. Schools that have these policies and enforce them are often safe-havens for students. Studies (and not just the GLSEN study) have shown that schools with comprehensive policies are safer for students. There are lower rates of bullying, and students feel freer to report problems to the staff because they know the school will do something about it.

And anyways, these laws don't limit free speech. Nowhere in the law does it say that you can't say certain words or anything like that. All it does is require the schools to create programs to help combat bullying with preventative training, harassment counselors, and ways for staff to identify and address bullying before it becomes a problem. Because really, the biggest problem isn't that bullying is ignored, it's that staff don't know how to identify it and are therefore powerless to combat it.

Finally, these laws are created to protect ALL children from real or perceived discrimination. My article shed light on them from LGBT perspective, but they would also go a long way in protecting children from all types of discrimination, including religious (i.e. that Sikh kid in NYC school in 2005 who had his hair forcibly cut off in the bathroom, something that is expressly forbidden by his religion), racial, gender, and otherwise. LGBT youth are a special case in many ways, but they are just one of the groups that are discriminated against here in America. We pride ourselves in being a diverse country, but we target that diversity and ridicule it all the time.

Sorry, that should say "Parents and schools brush of bullying as immaturity..."

This is my comment to "Gay man Says" of 5/15: even a fraction of 1% is too many! I really doubt that you are who you claim to be. Maybe legislation is not the answer, but your callousness is definitely part of the problem!

"Gay man", are you an idiot?! Did you really write that?! I'm disgusted by your suggestion the victims "should perhaps develop thicker skin". I'm gay and grew up in Mississippi in the 70's. I was tormented and assaulted nearly every day from the 5th grade through 9th grade. The scares from all of those years of being bullied remained with me well into my 20's. I was a kid god's sake and I expected, just with the kids in this story -- gay or not, that the adults at school would intervene. Further you Free Speach claim is crap. I had a right to attend school in a safe environment free from physical and mental abuse. My heart goes out to the kids and families featured in this peice.

"Gay man", screw u!....i bet if u went through or experienced being bullied or tormented like these kids have you wouldn't but that bs that you put. Those adults in that school decided not to intervene and looked what happened, we have kids found dead from commiting suicide all because someone didnt speak out to stop it. Ok so if your homophobic just leave them and their sexuality alone, dont torment them that doesnt solve a damn thing. You have to think what if the child your'e tormenting decides to come back and shoot you. There is another dead body. Im 17yr old gay mixed girl n 12th gr..How would you feel if you have a child and you come home to your child's dead body hanging all because they were bullied in school about being gay or bi. You wouldn't like that no would you? No because you would have to deal with your child's death on your own. My heart goes out to the families of these little boys and any other families.

In my opinion, the reason both boys chose to end their lives was because the level of psychological distress overwhelmed them. In addition, they felt as though they had no comfortable means of communicating their incidents with both school administrators as well as immediate family. On a personal note, as freshman in high school I was bullied. I dreaded going to my art class, because there was one sophomore boy who taunted me and gave me a hard time. I told the sophomore to stop, but he continued. It got to the point where I told the teacher what was going on. He sent the kid to the Dean--at that point he was reprimanded. In short, that made things worse. It made me look as though I tattled on him. It was good to see that the school administration took my case seriously; however there is a downfall to making them aware of such incidents. Basically by going to the authorities, you are then perceived as being weak and cowardly by both the bully as well as peers.

Bullying is a very difficult issue to resolve. In my opinion, it would be beneficial for school administrators to have faculty trained to read and anticipate future bullying incidents. Schools should have a proactive plan laying out the specific steps to follow in such incidents. Many schools, including both my junior high school and high school had peer mediation services available. While I never participated in any of those sessions, I had friends who did, and they found them to be helpful. So overall, by having faculty trained to read and anticipate behaviors that look like bullying, having a procedure for handling bullying cases, as well as communicating with students with how and who to see when an act of bullying has occurred, this should help to reduce the number of cases as well as increase the level of comfort and safety felt by the students.

After reading this article I cannot imagine what the parents and family members of this family went through/are going through. It does not matter whether or not these boys were gay, bi, or transgendered, the fact that they were not safe or feeling safe at school is a major problem that those schools need to deal with. All children should know that they can trust their administrators and teachers and not be afraid that they are going to get mad or blow it off like it isn't a problem. What is really sad is that the mother of the first child contacted the school and informed them of the problem and they still did not make sure that this child felt safe. So the end result? He hangs himself and ends his life because he feels like there's nothing else to do.

I completely agree that the bill regarding the Safe School Improvement Aact should be passed because I do not feel that the matter of free speech is as important as children's safety in this case. I feel that there should be a no tolerance policy regarding comments of race, sexual orientation, gender etc. because a lot of things said nowadays are often extremely offensive and hurtful. It is important for everyone to feel like their learning environment is as comfortable as possible and no one should feel threatened, I would not want my children to feel helpless and alone, faculty should be trained to handle these situations so the tragedy of these two young boys can be eliminated in the future.

I feel so sorry to the families of the boys who committed suicide and to all the other children in this world who are bullied day in and day out. School is suppose to be a place for our children to learn. It's just terrible that this is going on in schools today.

Teachers need to be educated and need to take children seriously when kids come to them for help about any issues that they might have. Teachers are suppose to be there for the children and if one teacher would have listened to Carl and Jaheem, this might not have happened. I would like to see teachers become more aware of the seriousness of school bullying and really listen when children come to teachers with any problem that they are facing.

I have to agree with Gay Man - police repression isn't the answer here.

School districts allowing Teachers and Deans to do their jobs and protect kids - and Teachers and Deans who see bullying for what it is - a form of terrorism - rather than just letting it go on and on and on until kids see only one way out...suicide.

To all of you who commented on my post: Yes. I am actually gay. Yes I was bullied and I hated it. But it taught me valuable lessons in my life. Did it "scar" me for life. Maybe. I certainly don't dwell on the past. Those experiences are part of every child's life. Who hasn't had a bully pick on them for some reason, gay or straight? Most of us learn that most bullies will leave you alone if you stand up to them.

To the young lady to said "screw you": Careful darlin'. That could be construed as hate speech...

For those of you who support legislation to stop bullying, I have one question: Who decides what is bullying? I'm sure that you would trust in our government or the school administrators to decide that. So what stops them from using that same law to expel any student who calls someone a name (dork, jerk, idiot, etc.)? This is not exclusively a gay issue. This law will affect ALL students. When you open the Pandora's box of legislation you can never close it again.

The answer here is for parents to actually take an active roll in their children's lives. That girl in Missouri who committed suicide over "cyber-bullying" died because her parents weren't keeping an eye on what what that girl was doing on the internet. It's high time for parents to start acting like parents and take responsibility for their kids (both bullies and the bullied).

As far as the statistics go: It is impossible to stop every teen who wants to commit suicide. It can not be done. There will always be kids who have a low self-esteem and look for an easy way out. I do believe that there should be programs to help these kids if they want it. I just don't believe in imposing new repressive laws on everyone else to protect someone from having to learn the hardest lesson in life. That lesson is that life is rough and not always fair and some people are just plain mean. That is where the thick skin statement comes from. When I was bullied as a kid, my parents made me stand up for myself. Of course, I didn't always win or accomplish what I wanted, but that is also life.

The point of all of this is that we, as a sociaty can't legislate away all of life's problems and pains. Sit your kids down and have a talk with them about how to deal with life's bumps.

@YungKidd09

If you are 17 and that is the extent of your writing ability, I'd suggest that you spend more time with your nose in the books. Learn the proper use of punctuation and sentence structure.

I believe that what happened to Carl Walker and Jaheem Herrera is a tragedy that their schools faculty could have helped to prevent. Both of these young boys were at a middle school age, a time in which most kids are concerned with fitting in and being socially accepted. This also means that it is an age where bullying is at it’s highest peak, especially for kids who are LGBT. For Carl and Jaheem school was an unsafe place because they were constantly encountering verbal harassment, and sometimes even physical harassment or assault. Although this type of misbehavior may not be very obvious to school faculty it does exist, and disrupts the rights of all students to have a safe environment to learn in. More importantly, the school environment these boys were required to attend was psychologically unsafe, which ultimately lead to their deaths. Both Carl and Jaheem were victims of anti-gay harassment at the mere age of 11 years old. This is a time when boys and girls are just discovering what sexuality means, which makes it an even more sensitive subject since it is so new to them. Besides the fact that bullying is extremely underestimated by school personnel, when it comes to bullying that has to do with sexual orientation it is even less likely for staff to step in. If the innocent death of these children doesn’t scream out a need for change within the school systems, what else will it take?
The change that needs to take place in all schools across America should be one that not only focuses on decreasing bullying in schools, but outside of schools as well. I completely agree that the Safe Schools Improvement Act Cyber should be passed because it is crucial bullying is recognized as a serious problem. Even cyber bullying outside of school can be a major factor on how safe psychologically and physically a child will feel at school. I believe to take the time to create and withhold a caring environment inside the classroom is just as important as subject material because children are most able to learn when they feel comfortable. One of the most effective models to imply would be to have an environment that is preventative towards bullying rather than reactive. This way, children are aware that bullying is something that will not be tolerated before it occurs, rather than having the students learn the consequences after hand. It would also be beneficial to try and create opportunities for students to get to know each other, work in different groups, and discuss why being respectful is so important. Activities that teach empathy or perspective taking will ultimately benefit everyone in situations such as bullying. When students get to know each other on a more personal level, and feel more like a group or a team, it is less likely for others to be singled out. It is imperative that all schools take a part in the prevention of bullying, if the schools that Carl and Jaheem had attended did so, both boys may still be alive today.

This is obviously a very tragic situation and one that I and a lot of others wish would not have to happen. In my opinion, both of these kids endured psychological distress that was caused from an outside source. These were kids who both could have had great futures and become successful great men. It’s unfortunate that for because of bullying that this could not have happened. Also there is no reason why this should happen to the extent that it did at school. School is supposed to be a very safe place, and one that creates a learning environment, not a place where a kid dreads to go to because of bullying. Now obviously you can’t stop every time someone is bullied, but you can stop it from prolonging, and this was not done. No matter if you’re white or black, gay or straight, big or small; you should be safe at school and be protected by the school administrators. Teachers and other administrators should have listened to these students and taken them more seriously and not be afraid to call a student out for bullying, it might have saved a couple lives.

As far as the Safe School Improvement Act, I believe whole heartedly that this bill should be passed. No matter what, safety comes before freedom of speech, especially with these kids. It’s the same reason why you cannot be on a plane and scream, “I have a bomb.” This cannot be said because it could be detrimental to the SAFETY of the passengers on the plane. There should be guidelines and rules for bullying across the nation in every school. Faculty and staff should be trained so that they know how to handle these situations on a case by case status. I believe if this is done it will not only create a safer feeling for all students in school but it may also save lives. This is the most important part of that bill is that it is being created to save lives.

It is real heartbreaking reading theses tragic stories. I cannot imagine what these young kids had to be going through in order to feel that suicide was their only way out. What is more upsetting is the fact that there was little or no intervention made by school staff to try to help the situation or make it better. These tragic outcomes of bullying could have been prevented if the right measures of precaution were taken. These situations build over time, they do not happen from one day to another. If at the first sigh of bullying the school staff would have interfered to stop the harassment and bullying, these kids could have still been alive. Or even better, the school should have implemented stricter policies against bullying instead of thinking it was just a phase that would pass.

Unfortunately, in most cases tragic events like these have to happen in order for schools to start implementing stricter bullying policies and to start educating kids about bullying. I am glad to hear that there are programs and acts being created to help stop and prevent bullying because sometimes that is what schools and kids need. Students need to be aware of the damage that there bullying and harassment can lead to; furthermore, they need to be aware that there will be a zero tolerance for bullying and that there will be serious consequences if done. I think putting fear in those that bully will help stop if not minimize bullying. Hopefully, trying to address the problem before it starts, educating students and having rigorous policies, will help prevent tragedies like the ones in this article.

After reading all the posts on this subject, I can't help but throw in my 2 cents worth of incessant rambling, too. But here it goes:

Not to ride the proverbial fence, but you all are right, to a certain extent. For the sake of brevity I won't highlight what each of you said that I agree/disagree with, but the overall issue of bullying starts with the parents. Parents who have kids that are bullies need to intervene and discourage that and educate them on why it is wrong. Likewise for those kids are victims of bullies. The kids need reassurance from their parents that they are there for whatever support they may need. Simply stated, parents need to take responsibility for your kids actions and take how they interact/relate to other children more seriously.

I have two kids of my own. Do I want them to bully other kids? No. Do I want them to be bullies themselves? No. Was I bullied as a kid? Yes. Did I bully other kids? Yes.

Having said that, I teach my kids from my own experiences not to treat people this way, but contrarily, you can best bet that my kids know that it is DEFINITELY OK to stand up and defend yourself as necessary. Added, my kids know that fighting is wrong, and that there is a difference in fighting and defending oneself. With that being said, I must be doing something right as a parent since neither one of my kids has ever been in a fight at school despite a few provocations here and there.

At far as school legislation is concerned, schools can crack down on whatever legislation they want but what ever is taking place in most public schools in America overall is NOT working.

With that being said, that goes back to taking care of things in the home.

Thanks for reading my post. God bless.

In Christ, In America- K.T.

Let me begin by stating that I am deeply saddened by these tragedies. While many of these incidences are rare, and many people see this as a one-in-a-million case, the problem still needs to be addressed. In both cases, Carl and Jaheem were bullied due to their sexuality, and both were seemingly ignored by school officials.
I would argue that much of the blame comes down to the teachers, as students are simply modeling what they see elsewhere in society. It comes down to the teachers monitoring what is occurring in the classroom. Teachers should do a better job of communicating with students. Sitting down for a few minutes after class with a student would help a great deal as a teacher could develop a positive rapport with the student. Thus, the student would feel that he or she could go to the teacher when in need. If a teacher is not performing in this way, school administration should be constantly monitoring teachers and looking to see if the teacher is addressing the social-emotional needs of his or her students. Overall, teachers need to be constantly aware of what is occurring in the classroom, and need to address bullying problems if they are present.

It is a clear tragedy what happened to Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover and Jaheem Harrera. Both were merely eleven year old boys that, while their age group is expected to go through some difficult times, clearly did not deserve their fate. Throughout the article, the author puts fault on the school administration and faculty for their suicides. To comment on the article, one reader chose to suggest that the children, “need to develop thicker skin” or we are going to “suppress [the] student’s free speech rights”. And while I appreciate the old saying ‘Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me’, it seems as if the school employees are the ones to blame. The piece repeatedly points to a lack of faculty involvement in bullying cases. Remember what Jaheem’s friend said: “[Jaheem] is tired of telling the teachers and staff, and they never do anything about the problem”.

This idea features the main problem of school bullying. Kids will always try to bully other kids, but those bullied have a right to expect safety at their school. The first line of defense is the teachers that interact with kids on a daily basis. While they may not know the latest trends in students’ fashions, it is reasonable to expect them to recognize when serious bullying is occurring. In support of this theory, the Dignity for All Students Act is a great idea to counteract school bullying. By implementing various programs directly into the school, it attempts to drastically change the way bullying is handled. However, my problem with this bill is the additional requirements it places on schools. Obviously, students’ safety is a priority, but I cannot see where schools will receive the funding to “implement preventive training programs [and] reporting and response mechanisms”. Although I am a tremendous support of an increase in bullying prevention, I must side with Mayor Bloomberg when doubting the overall success of this bill.

After reading this article I am fairly disgusted with how cruel some people can be, and how young they can be at the same time. I have a sister who is similar in age to the boys that the article refers to, and to think that people as young as her can say such awful things, to the point one would have to kill him or herself, is terrible. At that age kids should not be worried about going to school because of someone harassing them, they should not have to be worried about anything. I have a family member who is gay as well which hits me on another level. I feel, granted that kids this age might not think through their actions, that people should live their lives in whatever way that makes them happy. I never understood why gays are so poorly treated, it does not affect the way I live my life by seeing a person with different sexual preferences living there own. In school it should be no different. Students should be there to learn and connect with friends, there should be no room for people to harass or bully the students that choose to live their lives differently.

When it comes to the prevention of bullying or harassment, as much as it hurts to say this, I think that it is nearly impossible to completely mute both. I believe that policies such as the Safe Schools Improvement Act and others that are similar are necessary in order to tone down all misbehavior towards other students; however, there will always be students that are too scared to report bullying and other students who, God forbid, choose to take their lives. I believe that schools should do all they can to improve feelings of safety, but I feel that it is impossible to completely rid all schools of hate and harassment.

Its very sad that those two boys were ridiculed and made fun of to the point that they felt that they couldn't get help and ending their lives was the only option. It's especially upsetting that they were mad fun of for what their sexual orientation is. This is really disturbing because no one should judging and ridiculing someone based on what someone's sexual orientation may or may not be. Especially because the boys were both so young and now they miss out on life because some bully decided to torture these poor boys for no apparent reason but to upset them. School is supposed to be a safe place for students to learn, not somewhere they feel they can't even go because they will get mad fun of the second they walk in the door.

It's good to know that things are changing because of this and that administrators are stepping up and saying that something needs to be done to protect the students from being bullied because they do. I think that even more of these Acts need to be passed because students need to be able to feel like they can go to school and learn just like everyone else and not feel like they will be harassed. I am just glad something is being done about this issue because it is an important one and unfortunately applies to a lot of students at many schools across the nation.

After reading about what happened to Carl Joseph and Jaheem because of bullying, I find myself full of sadness for the boys and their families, and at the same time, I am shocked that the school personnel would ignore instances of bullying, even when it was reported to them. Obviously, if a student reports being bullied in the first place, that goes to show that he/she was deeply hurt or upset by it, so to ignore a hurt student is in no way "alright” and school personnel should be held more accountable for that.
Apparently, the school personnel did not believe that bullying was this big of a problem for students and their self-esteem or outlook on school. However, in order to decrease these tragedies, school personnel (teachers included) should be required to take a class about the effects of bullying on students. The class should also include preventative measures to stop bullying before it even starts, and new, effective strategies to handle bullying after it has happened. Schools should hold staff meetings regarding how to respond to bullying, and the staff should be held even more accountable for instances of bullying. School personnel should make it clear that schools are a bully-free zone and there will be a zero-tolerance for it. If school personnel see a child being bullied, they should intervene immediately and punish the bully accordingly. On the same token, if a child reports it, personnel should listen to the child and respond in a zero-tolerance manner. I believe this may help decrease these tragedies because it will show that bullying will not be tolerated, students will feel safer, and school personnel will be held more accountable for stopping bullying because now they will be educated in ways to stop this from continuing to happen.

After reading this article, I was affected by not only the two stories told in the beginning, but the actions taken to prevent situations like in the article. First off, the first two stories were extremely sad. Those two boys were so young; they might not have even known their own sexuality yet. Kids at school were bullying them, not even thinking they would kill them self. Then to come and find out that the teachers and staff did nothing to stop the bullying. They were more concerned about if the rumor was true. One statement in the article said, “Carl’s mother Sirdeaner Walker had repeatedly complained to the school about her son being bullied, but the school ignored her, calling it teenage immaturity” (Ariel Tirosh 1). This quote explains how the parents tried to do something about what these boys were going through and the schools had enough ignorance to avoid them. Another quote that shocked me in the article was, “He is tired of telling the teachers and the staff, and they never do anything about the problems. So the only way out is by killing himself” (Tirosh 1). I found this quote very absurd because if the teachers would have cared and done something about it, both of these boys could be alive and living their life to the fullest.
In this article I found it outrageous that such cruel and vicious things could happen to boys so young. Some things that can prevent things like this from happening would be for the teachers to take actions. Instead of teachers ignoring the students and not taking them seriously, the teachers should listen to what the child has to say. Then report it to someone above them and that person should matters in their hands and fix the problem as soon as they can. Another solution would for the parents to get more involved. If their child is in the much pain because of school, they should notice and MAKE someone listen. The last and final way to help someone in this situation is to be that one person who is not making fun of them. Stick up for that person and make them feel good. For example, there is a boy my age that is not as tall as everyone else and they use to make fun of him. One day these boys were picking on him and I walked straight up to him and gave him a kiss on the cheek like he was my boyfriend. Then the boys said you’re dating him? I replied with yes, and they did not bother him again. Sometimes it really makes a difference to be that one person!

After reading this article it is a sad display about how much damage words can really do. It is not fair that students get away with the damages they inflict upon people simply by talking. It is especially appalling to see 11 year old boys being damaged to a point that death is their only option. The boys, Jaheem and Carl, clearly were already confused about how to label themselves but that confusion led them to only one conclusion. This being the only way out is by suicide. I can’t believe the schools did nothing to prevent this and in fact ignored the complaints of parents and students. It is sad to see that two lives hundreds of miles apart can be taken away by something as simple as words. There is no rational that can excuse the behavior of their bullies.
It is amazing what kids are capable of today. By simply tutoring at a junior high school one can hear terms tossed around like “you’re gay” as if it is nothing. However this is attacking a person character no matter their orientation. Rational thought of adults tells us that kids will grow out of this and they don’t think as clearly but also adults’ question who should handle the situation. I know firsthand if I hear students using terms like that I tell them to cut it out, having to do so multiple times already. There is plenty a school can do for the kids being bullied and the first one is to listen. No matter how childish the bullying seems the school should always listen. They also need to listen to both sides and make the correct call on what to do. If the problem consists or if the first few times it slips under the radar the school needs to contact the parents and not the other way around. It shouldn’t be the responsibilities of the parents to correct a situation that occurs at school where the students are supposed to be safe. Unfortunately much of adolescent bullying goes on unknowingly and to correct this education needs to be available to teach what is right and wrong. Bullying won’t ever go away but steps need to be taken to help alleviate the situation as fast and as soon as possible so no more 11 year olds have to die because of something as simple as confusion.

It is overwhelming to realize how far the ripples of our comments can go no matter to what magnitude they are. It is sickening to believe that the school administrators did not do anything to help either of these boys even after both of them had asked them for help on several occasions. I believe that bullying stems from a fear a person has against someone or something different. Even dating back to historic times, the status quo has always been a fear of change from the norm, and it seems persecution for one's beliefs and ideas is still a constant problem.

Before a bullying situation can occur, steps should be taken to ensure the safety of the students and the promise that something like this can never happen to anyone ever again. It is my hope that the tragic story of these two young boys will be used as an example as to how hurtful someone can become. This way we can find some good from this tragedy.

The fact that these two boys (and many many others) were pushed to the point of suicide because bullying is incredibly sad. Obviously these kids were way too young to die, and way to young to have suffered the criticism that they did. To me, the worst part of the article is that Carl Walker's mother actually called the school several times and the incidence were dismissed as "teen imaturity." To read that 86% of any teen who falls under the LGBT category has reported verbal harassment and 22% physical assault is absolutley ridiculous. How are these school teachers, administrators, and counselors not preventing these unbelievable numbers??

The ninth grade student who said "I'm not sure if they'll do anything about it" is a scary thought. How can a 14-15 year old go into a school officials office, sit there and tell me horror stories about being bullied and the school official do nothing? These kids need to KNOW that help is there for them, that they SHOULD be sharing their stories to their school officials, and that something WILL be done. Schools need to implement anti-bullying programs asap and let these kids know its okay to be themselves and that school should never be a place to be afraid of.

I am a student currently working on my teaching certificate, and from a future educator I am outraged at the lack of response from the teachers. As a teacher it is not your responsiblity to share your personal views on different sexual orientations or how certain students choose to identify themselves, instead they are there to be there for the students, teach them, and help them get through elementary, middle, or high school. Middle school in particular is a very crucial time for these young children as they begin to go through puberty and start to think about establishing an identity. They need mentors not critics. Various studies have shown that teachers know about less than half the bullying that exists. Teachers need to convey to their students that they are caring individuals who should be there to talk to when problems arise, and not turn the cheeks under any circumstances.

I think that the bullying act presented to congress is a step in the right direction forcing schools who recieve funding to act on bullying, but it should not be a necessary step. Teachers should have the morals and initiatives to notice bullying and stop it before it becomes a problem to the childs self esteem and cause them to even contemplate suicide. Teachers and administrators need to react proactively to bullying and respond to complaints by the parents as the school ignoring the complaints of the mother is unacceptable and they should have to face some of the responsibilites of the sucide of her child.

I was quite shocked when i was reading this article. Sometimes I wonder what people are thinking when they pick on or call some one a name. I feel that the world is becoming more sensitive to everything as well. This also makes me wonder who kids know how to take their own life. I can't believe how out of control the schools are getting with bullying and hazing ect. As for the teachers, I feel that they should keep their opinions to themselves and help the kids get through each grade without forcing any views on them.

I feel that the school districts need to have some way of enforcing a no bully policy. Maybe this should be brought up to legislature and then hopefully some thing will come of this. This needs to stop. There are too many young lives that are being lost because of the simple fact of some one wanting to put someone else down. These kids are the future of everything and they will probably be something great some day.

The tragedy of Carl Joseph and Jaheem makes me feel both very upset and sad. Because of ruthless bullying such as this, it lead these poor confused boys to take their own lives. Further more it makes me feel livid that the school personnel would ignore these extreme circumstances when reported to them. I just do not understand how one could shoo away and ignore a young student when they take it upon themselves to report being bullied. This happening, not only would make the student feel that his peers are against him/her, but that the authority figures are as well... Who does that leave for them to turn to??? Therefor, I not only blame the bullying children, but the school personnel as well..
Evidently the school did not recognize the extreme cases of the bullying that was taking place. And they obviously did not take into consideration the hurt and lowered self-esteem that was mustering up within theses children. I would like to think that tragic stories like this will however decrease incidences like this from happening in the future. School faculty should be required to have prior knowledge and even be tested on the effects of children being bullied, before being admitted into the school. If this could take place, then the school would have a better chance of coming up with preventative measures to control bullying and maybe even prevent it. They will also have a better handle on how to handle these situations if it does happen to take place. Just as sexual harassment in most if not all schools has a zero-tolerance policy if reported, peer bullying should have the same rule. If school personnel witnesses a child being bullied, they need to know how to intervene, and how to take action on delivering the punishment that is most appropriate for the circumstance. This includes listening to a student and possibly even setting up counseling sessions with the student, students that are involved as well as the parents. If it is a rule of the school that is always being watched and observed, it will help keep the zero-tolerance policy in check. If we want horrifying issues like this to decrease, then schools NEED to begin to take action. There is no reason for a student to feel un-safe at school. Because the children can't take charge, they should at least have the comfort knowing that the adults will do something to make a change.

This is certainly a horrible tragedy as to what happened w/ these boys. But post after post on the board said the schools should've done more. True. But how far should the schools go?

No one seems to want to hold parents accountable. What about the parents' (or lack of parents') involvement in bullying cases? Food for thought: do parents of kids that are being bullied try to talk to the parents of the bullies and try to come to terms with one another. Or do they keep to themselves, do nothing, and place all the blame on the school?

I have two kids of my own. I certainly don't want either of them to be bullied or to be bullies themselves. Even though my own childhood was kind of rough, I certainly do not condone violence. However, there IS a difference between fighting and defending/standing up for oneself. My son/daughter know that if they are being picked/being felt to being intimidated then they need to go to a trusted adult at school. They both understand that fighting is wrong (especially starting fights.) But if they tell teachers/whomever, and that adult ignores the situation, and are still being bullied, then they have a right to stick up for themselves. Then from there, it is my obligation as a parent to intervene w/ the school AND ALSO go to the other child's parent in order to work on a reasonable, working solution that will prevent siutations like this in the future. Sorry, folks. It's not a hard concept.

I hate to be the lone realist in the midst of most of you idealists- kids will be kids. No amount of school legislation will keep kids from bullying other kids. Even though it is to be expected and their responsibility, don't rely on the school to protect/raise your kids like most Americans do.
Step up to the plate and be parents for your kids. Protect them and love them above all else.

In Christ, In America- K.T.

The deaths of Carl Walker and Jaheem Herrera could have been prevented. These two confused young men took their own lives because someone pushed them to that point. In my opinion, the school and the parents are at fault. I cannot believe that neither a single staff member nor either of the boys’ parents noticed that these children were in their own personal hell. It is disgraceful that neither parents nor teachers were aware of the situation because both deaths could have been prevented. The loss of young lives is always the worst possible thing for society to endure because of the loss of potential. School officials should be partially blamed for the problem because bullying should not be tolerated in any sense. All types of bullying are potentially dangerous but verbal abuse has become a serious problem in the school system. If any teacher hears any child saying things that hurt another child’s feelings, the teacher should report it. It should not matter whether a little girl was being teased about her hair or a young boy was being targeted because of his possible sexual preference. The fact that Carl Walker and Jaheem Herrera were being harassed about their personal preferences at the tender ages of 11 is ridiculous. Some staff member must have heard something and it should have been stopped. At the age of 11 children are just discovering about sexuality so to hear them call others gay, etc. is shocking! Bullying is extremely hurtful and lethal to both the victim and the tormentor.
Even though I firmly believe that bullying is wrong and it should be reported to school officials I cannot help but to partially fault the parents for not taking any action to help their sons deal with the bullying issue. Maybe if the parents would have been more open to talking with their children about sexuality, two lives would not have ended so abruptly. The school should adopt a no bullying policy but I do not believe that state legislation will solve the problem. Everyone deserves freedom from discrimination but additional legislation does not and cannot solve every problem. The school should have taken action against Jaheem’s bullies because according to sources, he was actually reporting the bullying, which most kids do not have the courage to do, but nothing was being done. Schools should take every accusation of bullying very seriously not just those about sexuality, gender, race and religion. Every district should have open confidential counseling services as well to ensure that no more children take their own lives. I would also hope that schools could adopt some kind of training for teachers to sense when a student is seriously troubled. That might have helped to stop the students from ending their own lives. Teachers should also be reminded of the Early Warning Signs of Potential Violence which includes feelings of isolation, social withdrawal, feelings of being picked on or persecuted and being the victim of violence. Educators should not forget that violence is not always done to others but sometimes it is done to the victim themselves. It is a sad state of affairs when two young boys decide to end their lives because they were the subjects of consistent ridicule and no one heeded the early warning signals.

The thing that struck me the most when I read this article is how young these kids were. The thought of such a young boy feeling so trapped that he had to end his life is terrible. 11 year old children should be able to go to school and feel safe no matter what their sexual orientation is. It is both the school's job to make sure that these students feel safe within the walls of their school, and parent's jobs to teach their kids that bullying is not acceptable. The quote about administrators asking if the reason for the bullying was true is outrageous. Administrators should be required to protect a student and their rights no matter why they are being bullied. These two boys, gay or not, couldn't go to their teachers or principals, so they killed themselves,

I agree with the idea of all schools implicating zero tolerance as far as bullying goes. If students know before they start to bully that they will get in trouble, the chance that they do it anyway is probably much less. It would also make students of every shape and color feel safe to walk the halls, it might even make them more likely to feel comfortable in their skin.

This is a very tragic advent that happened. I had no idea that this was happening the children of such a young age. I cannot believe the horrible outcome of the situations. I remember being 11 years old and this was not even being talked about let alone turning out into such horrible situations. Over the summer I coach a youth team about this age and I never would of guessed this is a topic that they know about. Not defending the opposition but, boys will be boys and messing with each other is a thing they do, I know not to this level of coarse. I just cant belive that even after being told the school did nothing about it. At the smallest level they could of changed classes or separated them. I also feel that feeling safe at school helps you learn. If your only worried about what some kids are going to say to you after class you cannot possibly concentrate on the lesson being giving. So it has an affect on the mental state let alone the learning aspect.

I also agree with the idea of schools using a zero tolerance technique when it comes to bullying, but at what level are they ready to buy into it. Teaching the kids and keeping them out of fights in the hall ways is already a huge load on the teachers. I mean are schools ready to pay people just to watch out for these sorts of things, because I mean that's already a ton of ask out of a teacher. No matter what law is passed there is always going to be some one getting bullied ,but maybe this act can cut it down to a real small percent.

The purpose of schools is to educate and to expel ignorance. It is the job of the school to give students the necessary to tools survive in the world. In order for that to occur, schools must create an environment where students feel safe to learn. Children are developing: emotionally, cognitively, and physically all the way through adolescence. They just are learning how to cope with the stressors of life and need guidance to find a way to reason through what seems like impossible situations at the time. When addressing bullying, it is important to look at the age of the child and understand that their way of thinking is entirely different than how an adult would view things. This is why I believe that it is essential that schools and communities take bullying seriously. When educators, administrators, and parents look the other way and neglect their responsibility to investigate the situation, they are rewarding destructive behavior making it more likely for bullying to occur. Regardless of ones: gender, race, ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation every student is entitled to a safe learning environment.

Additionally, what can and should be done to prevent situations like these from occurring involves educating the student body on harassment, developing anti-bullying policies, and enforcing those policies. Also, I would go so far to say- that the parents need to be included in the education of anti-bullying policies as well. I believe that it would be safe to say that the majority of parents have no idea whether or not their child is either the target of bulling or harassing other students at school. Often students are either embarrassed or afraid to report harassment, so it often goes unnoticed. Parents can be powerful advocates and when teamed with teachers and administrators, they can reinforce all that is learned at school about bullying with the values that they instill in their children.

I think overall the school plays a very big part in this problem. All over the world this is happening everyday and the school names always get cleared. Why is that? As we can see schools are becoming just as dangerous as streets and bullying is becoming an hobby for these students.

Bullying can start off the same way time. I think that there should more movements created to put an end to this. Parents need to step their game up and get their children in check and teach them how to over come these bullying madness. One thing that i do not understand is why was this young man at 11 years of age home alone? I am not saying that it is the parent reason for this happening to her son but he is to young to be at home by his self with an chance to be on the computer with no adult around.

This is very tragic. I was taken aback over what happened. I can't believe that such anti-gay bullying and harassment would occur in such young children. And for the school to let this happen to the point of them both committing suicide is unacceptable. Sure, the first maybe 1 or 2 times its reported might just be immaturity because let's face it: Boys will be boys. But if this continues (and it did), there should be action done to remedy it. The first thing that should be done is stricter policy. If an action of abuse is reported, it should be at least addressed to the other party. The ones doing the abuse should at least be addressed to tell them that what they are doing is wrong. After that, if it happens again. then action should be taken.

I would first like to say that this is a very sad story and It should not have had to come to this. THe two boys in this article obviously had problems that school officials were not dealing with. The innapproprite actions of the fellow classmates had to be seen by students, teachers, and administrators, so there is no excuse why it had to come to this. After repeated phone calls to the school I believe that something should have been set up such as a counseling session or a support group formed so that these children could cope with what they were born with.

Students these days are getting worse and worse with the tv they watch down to how there parents raise them. I observe at many schools and seeing how children act astonish me with the language they use and the gestures or physcal actions they take wih eachother. I dont know who to blame if its the parents or modern society but something must be done to change how these kids treat one another. I believe if something is not done that something more serious could happen with our education system.

It is a very sad thing when you see eleven year old kids thinking suicide is the only answer to solve their problems. It is also not only a sign of the growing bullying problem in this country, but also a sign of the taboo of seeking help when one is experiencing emotions. The fact that eleven year old are even facing these emotions is also very disturbing. Very few adults can handle or cope the stress, pressures, and pain of depression, and expecting children to be able to deal with it is completely wrong.

If one is going to point the finger at bullying, then one must also point at the finger at the lack of advertisement out there for the resources available to help people cope with the hurt of that often times accompanies verbal and physical harassment. I think that one way to solve the bullying crisis is that more schools need to put forth a No Tolerance Policy for bullying, but these schools must have an inclusive policy, and one that guarantees students the resources necessary for helping them deal with their problems. Also I am a staunch believer that today's teachers are not trained well enough to recognize the signs of harassment, and then act on the problem. If schools and the community are educated, then in many ways these problems, though they may not go away, would probably go down their severity.

I think it’s so sad that an 11-year old even has the knowledge of how to take his own life. I can’t even imagine how bad the bullying must be for such a young boy to do that. What’s sadder is that he and his mother told teachers and administrators, and then nothing was done. Schools act like it is so hard to stop young children from being intolerably cruel to one another. If a student reports having been bullied, teachers need to take it seriously. Bullied children might hurt themselves, as in this case, or someone else, just as it has happened in so many American schools in the last few years.
I don’t think legislation is necessary; teachers and administrators need to step up to the plate and address these problems head-on. Having experienced bullying for many years, it would have been nice to see at least one teacher take it seriously. I even wrote a letter to the principal, detailing the language and abuse I was facing on a daily basis, which only got me a referral to the school counselor. I was fortunate to have a strong network of support of family and friends, but many children do not. In these cases, the schools need to be a safe, supportive environment where children can learn without fear and anxiety.

I think that there is definitely needs to be more awareness about bullying in schools today. When young children are being harrassed about their sexuality and a teacher is not seeing it in the classroom, then there is a definite problem. These kids are not even old enough to understand their sexuality completely and other students bullying them for it is just ridiculous. I think there needs to be more education to both students and teachers about bullying. If the teachers especially can become more educated on how to recognize bullying and also how to talk to their students in a way that makes the students feel able to discuss these matters with their teachers everyone might be a little better off. I also think there needs to be more recognition from teachers to situations that could possibly be bullying. Sometimes it may just look like kids playing around but often times the kids are just too afraid of what will happen next. The teacher needs to set up a safe environment that lets the students know that they can come to the teacher with this information and know that nothing will happen to them as a result of it.

Also, I think there needs to be more done with schools being held accountable for their actions on bullying. When there are children that young committing suicide because they feel as thought no one at school could help them with it there is a huge problem. Schools need to have stricter rules in place to deal with bullying and more serious consequences for the bullies. If new legislation is the only way to get this done, then so be it. But somehow these problems need to be addressed in a new and better way.

This is a sad story to have to read, and unfortunately this happens more than we many think. Part of our everyday language that is used now have people calling each other names along the lines of "fag" or "retard". This is from the society that children are now growing up in, and many people are not sensitive to the amount that these words are used. I recently went to a presentation about the way these words are now used and the effects it has on the people around us. For one, it is putting down the people who may be homosexual or may have disabilities, and on one hand these words are used and thrown around as insults to some, while others it is who they are as a person or how they may have been born. What needs to be realized is that something that everybody has in common is that they are human, and should be respected for how it is that they are and the decisions that they may choose to make. It is one way that makes everybody different and unique in their own way, and following what they believe. Just because their belief may not be the same as another's, doesn't mean that they should be called out for it and mistreated.

Meanwhile, the way that the education system is handling bullying is terrible. They seem to be always brushing it off and using excuses to not have to deal with the situations. When students as young as 11 are committing suicide because of this, something obviously should be done and I feel it is inexcusable that this continues to happen. What is the worst that can happen by school administrators intervening? I can't possibly think of anything worse than a student killing themself while they choose to not do anything at all.

“It is time we combat outdated and erroneous beliefs that downplay the seriousness of bullying” - Rep. Sanchez

Rep. Sanchez is right. Too often do most kids think that bullying is normal, and therefore it goes unreported. What's worse is when administrators share the same sentiment and attribute that type of behavior as something that all kids experience, when in reality, it can be prevented. By issuing a zero-tolerance policy towards bullying, teachers will have no choice but to report any occurences of bullying and students will have to suffer the consequences. If this can be mandated by the government, then all the better. How many students have to die before people start to take action? Bullying is something that won't go away by itself. There will always be competition amongst children, and those who are judged to be "different" will be ostracized. Students who identify as LGBT have it worse because they are blatantly setting themselves apart from their peers, thus leaving themselves open for ridicule, especially since the general sentiment is to be gay means to be abnormal. Fact of the matter is, LGBT children are at a higher risk for being bullied, and that is a statistic that shouldn't be ignored. The two children that committed suicide are evidence that something needs to be done so things like this do not happen in the future.

Someone posted saying it is wrong to limit free speech and that bullying actually taught them lessons in life; though I will admit I see their point, I still disagree. There is no room for bullying in an academic environment. Schools shouldn't be a place where children fear for their safety or get attacked verbally - it is a place where learning should be the number one priority. How can a student learn if they are worried or stressed from being bullied? This isn't a matter of the government putting constraints on free speech - this is a matter of ensuring children's safety in schools. Anything considered detrimental to learning is an offense and that includes bullying. Administrators need to be more aware of situations like this and any reports of bullying should result in either suspension or, if the act is severe enough, expulsion. To condone these acts is to further promote more children getting hurt. If there needs to be a law that states that, then so be it. Why put children through so much when they don't HAVE to go through something like that in the first place? Your argument that these children simply need to develop "thick skin" is not an argument at all. Who are you to judge them? They're CHILDREN.

Lastly, an argument was presented stating parents need to take more control of their children, and I agree with that. Parents do need to be more involved in their children's lives, but it is also understood that once the child leaves his or her home, he or she is under the care of the school and it is the school's responsibility to watch over the child and make sure that his or her well-being is taken care of at all cost. Someone stated that had the parents been more open to these two boys about their sexuality, then maybe they wouldn't have committed suicide - but guess what? It doesn't always work like that. That's another reason why LGBT students have it worse than most because their parents aren't always supportive of their children. I interned at the youth program in Center on Halsted, an LGBT center in chicago, and there are children there who have been kicked out of their homes because they chose to come out to their parents. Sometimes these children have NO support in the home, and to lack that support at school as well - to even be harassed for it? It's no wonder they feel like they have no way out.

What happened to those children are tragedies that could have been prevented had the school been more pro-active against bullying. Like I said, there should be a school-wide zero tolerance policy for bullying in each and every single school. Students need to know that if they report being bullied, the school WILL do something to stop it. Bullying should NOT be a part of growing up, and it does NOT have a place in schools where the objective is to learn. All steps should be taken to ensure that bullying is banned from schools nation-wide. If the government needs to step in, then so be it.

Teachers need to take a more proactive approach to stop bullying in the schools. I can’t imagine the mental torture that goes on in a head of a child from constant bullying. The students who were bullying these two kids were not taught the respect for other people’s choices. And at that age it’s difficult to get that point across but because of the society will live in each student needs to be aware of how to respect all people. The first thing that needs to happen is schools should develop more programs from a young age that stress the differences in all people. If students can learn to respect each other then rates of bullying might drop especially in situations as this one. Most kids in junior high have never dealt with or had an open discussion concerning the rights of people who are gay. The more a child is exposed to something that is different then themselves the more chance they will have at respecting the differences.

Of course bullying will still go on and yes I do agree that teachers need to be more aware of bullying. Most statistics say that teachers are not aware of a significant portion of the bullying that goes on in schools. If a training program will increase the teacher’s awareness then I am all in favor of these programs. Although I believe that the most valuable thing that a school can do is to have an open door policy for all students to come and talk with a specialist in dealing with these issues. Teachers should make it known from day 1 of school when the standards for the year are set that bullying wont be tolerated. By setting this standard a student who does feel bullied should feel more comfortable opening up to a teacher. A student that knows the teacher will not stand for bullying will know that the same teacher will understand and help in dealing with the abuse.

My personal experience has been varied. I was on both sides of this as a child, I have been bullied and have bullied. I am not proud of it but its something I must face and understand in order to raise my own children.

We have to teach our children empathy at an early age. Explain why another child might be upset and equate their problem to our own. Empathy and accountability are really missing, our society teaches to look out for ourselves, be greedy and take what we can. Yet we expect children to act differently than adults.

I recently read a really emotional book, I finished it on my long train commute from upstate into the city. I cried for about 45 minutes as I read the final chapters as some young male stranger sat next to me. When I got home that night I made sure I told my two older children about the experience. My son had already read the book so he could identify.

I think we need to get over the fear of sharing feelings, especially men, because we are the most emotionally stunted. We look down on what we perceive as weak and push it around to make ourselves look and feel strong. Our role models are, for the most part, 'tough guys' they don't talk about their emotions or insecurities because they, like most, have been conditioned to think that emotion is weakness.

Teachers should be aware of whats going on with their kids and should intervene. But often the children are emotionally stunted long before they make it into a class room. Teachers are left doing damage control for what parents have neglected to teach and media has drummed into the heads of children.

The story about these two boys is certainly upsetting. It’s shocking how mentally traumatizing bullying has gotten. At the root of these tragedies seem to be two major problems—the student being bullied has not been taught skills to cope with bullying, and the bullies do not know how to express their thoughts appropriately.
While it’s important for teachers to be aware of and stop bullying, they cannot be everywhere and see every instance of this especially when bullying is taking new forms (such as cyber-bullying), which often take place outside of school. It is an unrealistic goal to think we can eliminate all bullying also. It is better to teach positive coping skills while also trying to prevent it. Students should be taught strategies to deal with bullying so they have the tools to deal with any situation on their own.
On the flip side, students should also learn to be respectful of others. Perhaps simply teaching them the definition of bullying will help them realize what is appropriate. Modeling ways for students to express themselves in a more considerate manner if they have a different view of something than another student may be one way a teacher can help. Teachers can also help students realize when it may be more appropriate to stay silent on a matter.

The story about the two boys hanging themselves because of bullying over sexuality is very upsetting and absolutely ridiculous. Schools should not let anything get to the point of a student harming themselves because of what another student says. School is suppose to be a place for students to go to learn not worry about what people will say to them when they express themselves or when they are themselves instead of hiding who they are because of fear. Bullying in general is a very important topic that teachers and school administrators deal with every day but it should not be ignored like it was in these cases. There are so many forms of bullying and so many reasons why students bully other students, but schools still need to stop it from the beginning so it does not get to the point of students causing harm to themselves.
Schools and parents should teach students to respect themselves and others. Parents and teachers are also role models for their children and students. Therefore, how they act at home and at school can also influence bullying. Being a good role model and talking to your children and students may help decrease bullying on some levels. Explaining fully the affects of bullying to students may also decrease bullying. Some students think that bullying is not as harmful as it really is, but if they learn more about it, it may stop some students from bullying.

I honestly am horrified that this could have happened to these two boys. What pains me in particular is the fact that one of them even said death was the only way out. I think that just goes to show just how serious this problem is. That and the fact that the teachers did nothing when help was asked, for lack of a better word, infuriates me. This is clearly a case of bullying taken to as high of an extreme as possible, and teachers cannot sit idly by anymore and knowingly let it happen anymore.
What needs to be done is the schools need to enforce a much stronger bully policy, not just for bullying against homosexual students, but bullying in general. While this experience is all too common for homosexual students, that does not mean it is only contained to them. A stronger bullying program would certainly help, but to what extent depends on the teachers themselves. If the teachers can enact a policy that teaches self-responsiblity for their actions and find ways for students to solve their problems without violence. Most importantly, they have to monitor the students and enforce their policy, making sure the students know there is a consequence, which is not what the teachers did with these two poor children. Hopefully this would at least help the problem of bullying somewhat.

Our school systems have come to a horrifying place when it comes to bullying. These two young boys were learning about themselves and the world around them, there was no reason that they should be discriminated, teased, or bullied for figuring themselves out. The students around them were most likely experimenting sexually, with drugs, or even just with the limits of rules in their house and at school. Going through a questioning and deciding time period is normal, but no one, no matter what they decided, should be bullied, physically, "cyberly" , sexually, or verbally for questioning their status. It breaks my heart to see such young children result to extremes to free themselves from the pain in this world. Suicide hurts so many and is preventable with the care and love from those in any person's life. Schools need to take the right of protecting their students and caring for them in order to prevent stories such as these.

Though not every suicide and every mean act can be punished or prevented, there is a place where schools need to listen and act. First of all, schools should have a prevention program, allowing students to be exposed to harms of bullying and the punishments that will come with bullying. This can include outside speakers, banners of positivity or anti-bullying, or a set of special rules about bullying. Second, if there is a problem with a student being constantly bullied and there is parental communication of depression, the school must address that specific situation and provide an outlet for the bullied student. Third, if there is a specific student who is bullying repeatedly, they need to be dealt with in a serious manor. This will set an example of excellence for the school that attitudes and shameful acts are addressed and hold the students to a higher standard. It will also be used to show other students what is not to be tolerated because if students are not punished or cared for when they are bullied, it leaves an impression that bullying is approved of and the school does not care. Schools are responsible for what happens in their schools and how situations are handled. The one thing I am glad about is the fact that the school was punished because their is no reason for their negligence.