A story about Phoebe Prince is well worth listening to, for everyone, not just kids but parents too, and as a matter of fact it would be good to watch it together. A platform to open up a topic, nothing like TV. I've had many kids say, that happened to me too, concerning anything they relate to. From ages eight to sixteen I have heard that same exclamation,"that happened to me too".
Most of the time teachers have told me about it so I knew, but when I didn't know, as long as I made sure to act surprised which they want, they open up like a stuck zipper. Sometimes, well many times kids think they're ratting, which I know you know.
A student who was on this TV show, Sharon said, as did her mother she is s best friend to others. Maybe so, but for me that kind of friend doesn't agitate a situation, but remains side by side to the friend. You don't go to the other person and call them filthy names. Is that a nice kid?
Now on the other side of that we do have to take into consideration all of the peer crap and that s what it is. Why can't we teach our kids, and why can't others enforce the fact that it's okay to be your own person without getting involved in crime, drugs, alcohol, weapons and all things negative? WHY? Oh I know, It isn't cool. Some parents are just as bad as the kid and in many cases the kids get it from their parents.
Yes this group of kids, and I don't know all the facts, but think if this was my child who is no longer here because they pushed a last button, I want justice, I want these kids to have some kind of punishment. According to reports this child who took her own life already had mental health problems, so that appears to lessen the bullying factor. It shouldn't!
What about the educators who knew about this. Where does their responsibility lay? Phoebe did report that she was being bullied and harassed. South Hadley High School neglected the new young girl in this school, her reports of bullying, and have recently made a new policy as far as bullying reports and enforcement.
Mr. Prince wants compassion for some of those kids who taunted his daughter as he states, isn't that what we wanted for our own daughter?
Maybe we all , or most of us do teach our kids how to behave and show compassion, yet somehow between home and life they take on another persona and that's what we also have to address. Compassion? Walk in another's shoes. New kids in the neighborhood, in school? Walk with them, not on top of them.
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