Live Blog from the Anchor Desk 04/23/09
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/01/02/liveblogfinal.copy.jpg]
Tonight, we continue our series "Secrets to a Long Fife." So far, in our reports from a Greek island, we've told you how sex, naps, and natural foods can help you live longer. Tonight, another secret revealed.
Don't miss Erica Hill's webcast on our living longer during the commercials. Watch our WEBCAST
Want to know what else we're covering tonight? Read EVENING BUZZ
Keep in mind, you have a better chance of having your comment get past our moderators if you follow our rules.
Here are some of them:
1) Keep it short (we don't have time to read a "book")
2) Don't write in ALL CAPS (there's no need to yell)
3) Use your real name (first name only is fine)
4) No links
5) Watch your language (keep it G-rated; PG at worst - and that includes $#&*)
And take a look at our live web camera from the 360° studio. Watch the WEBCAM
About this Show:
Anderson Cooper goes beyond the headlines to tell stories from many points of view, so you can make up your own mind about the news. Tune in weeknights at 8 and 10 ET on CNN.
Questions or comments? Send an email
Want to know more? Go behind the scenes with AC361°
Subscribe to the podcast
On Twitter
Search the AC360 blog
How many more children will die as a result of bullying? This is aweful! Parents should take responsibility for their children's behavior! Why aren't they watching their children like hawks? I'm so sick of schools and teachers being blamed for everything.
So many parents allow their children to watch movies, videos and play games that are obviously labeled as adult, and think nothing of it. They allow their children to go on the internet without any supervision whatsoever.
Many parents do NOT teach their children respect or manners, and instead, offer excuses for their child's poor behavior. How are schools and teachers, who have policies and programs in place to combat bullying, the only ones to be blamed?
I think parents of bullies, and their bullying children, should be taken to court and held responsible for their actions. Children learn what they live...and their parents are their first and most effective teachers.
I feel for those 2 boys. I was treated the same way in high school and no one would help me. When you get older sometimes its worse.
May God Bless those families.
I hope we are able to also fix this problem or find workable solutions to bullying in schools. This is a sensitive topic and unbelievable issue added to the normal mix of newstories we have to deal with.
Barbara is right, there must be serious consequences for bullying that goes well beyond apologies or expulsion. This should also become a part of their permanent record and the parents of these bullies need to be informed of that.
This bullying this is sick ..Just a few days ago someone from my highschool create a group on facebook just to make fun of another kid ...She hasn't been to school sence
sweet babies – this is so wrong that these kids are driven to this :'( It is OUR responsibility as a society.
I hear you Michel!!!
Barbara's comments on bystanders looking the other way when bullying happens is dead on. We all have a responsibility for the mental health of the people around us. We can't make people's lives miserable or let others do so.
The teachers should have their ears up and alert to stop bullying. They should reiterate at least once a month to the class that bullying is way out of line and that they are there to stop it when it happens.
Stephen
Virginia Beach
Many children who bully are being bullied by a parent. They are just expressing what they learned and transferring their anger on another child.
The bully's situation needs to be looked at with open eyes. He is most likely a victim too!
Barbara Colorosa made some excellent suggestions on combating bullying–I hope she's on again.
bullying is a hard thing to deal with...when you get your parents involved and the kids hear about it it makes it worse. but not doing anything results in this. its very sad.
What can kids do about being bullied outside of school property, where bullies can just wait for the kids to walk home? Should bullies be outed?
The story about this little boy is very sad, i think parents need to teach their kids to respect other children in their schools, neighborhoods or playgrounds.
I agree Anderson, hope this is never a story again. Schools need to get a handle on bullying.
That is a great question, Why did we need a wake up call? Bullying is not a new issue. We should always be aware and administrators need to wake up and face do something about it...
School officals who do not take adequate action to prevent bullying need to be held crimminally liable. Maybe if a few school offical were sent to jail for not protecting our children, maybe bullying will become less of a problem.
Too bad this bullying thing wasn't brought out into the public before now would have saved a lot of children from death and sad lives!
What are we teaching our young children today? That it is okay to bully these young boys to death!! Why will there always be bullying when a child is differerent, or speaks different!!??
My 7yr old is watching the show right now..she tells me that her friend is being bullied..she said she told teacher..teacher hasn't done anything about it..what can I do as a parent to stop her friend from being bullied?
The next war will no doubt be in Pakistan. Our troops will be in the position of taking prisoners, Taliban and Al Quada. Because of Obama's actions now, we will see far fewer prisoners taken.
Where are the teachers and school administration. I have 20 kids in my Wed class, and I would know if a child was being picked on and take action. WE all need to keep our eyes and ears open as well as lines of communication.
Mr. Bennett was the 3rd United States Secretary of Education, and his response on waterboarding (approved of) is that if others may do it -we should to? Such approval is just a "talking point", from you know who.
Don't minimilize, rationalize or explain it away....this has been the norm for too long and the shield educators have hid behind too long!!!
I think home schooling children is a good idea too..kids can be cruel due to youth, immaturity. I am not suggesting isolating them from others is a solution, but when they are so young, it's not a bad idea until their peers become more mature in a social context.
It's so sad to see another young child commit suicide due to bullying. Why are kids so intolerant to others who they perceive as "different". Are we not all human? I hope that these children realize the impact of their actions.
this chick is completely right, everyone feeds each other, complaining does not work....
Erica. I remember seeing children bullying others when I was in school. I remember being thankful that they never targeted me.
I lived my whole childhood bullied, I was sexually abused on a daily bases. School is the most cruelest place in the world
Bullying of any child is wrong. You only talk about bullying kids who are thought to be gay. What about being too fat, skiinny or have acne. I think it is wrong to only emphasize that specific reason. I think I know why you do this, but it is not fair to other kids who are bullyed for different reason.
Isn't this stuff written in the school rules? Bullying for any reason should not be tolerated and when it happens expel the one doing the bullying. What is so difficult about that? If there are rules why aren't they being enforced?
It must be terrible when a person feels terribly isolated, due to their distress, can not think of someone to help overcome this isolation.
The Pakistan Army does not want to fight the Taliban. It's strategic is based on using those maniacs in the future against India. So it will play a delicate balancing with the Taliban. Feed the animal just enough- but not too much
Anderson, I totally disagree, with you that racial bullying is not tolerated. Parents reports racial bullying on daily basis. Children are pulled out of schools due to bullying when the schools refuse to react.
My preyer goes to Jaheem Herrera. One more life is lost because of the taunting. I think if people treat gay people the same as not gay people, this kind of sexual bulling will stop. It all starts from how parents and other adults act.
The bullying is insane My Mother in law was a teacher and quit went into nursing because Teachers have their hands tied all of the school administration does!
They are NOT allowed to punish bullies or anyone else for that matter!
You're right Anderson. It is unacceptably OK to call a kid gay. It's also unacceptably OK to make comments about girls' bodies in some schools.
Oh, and swearing is A OK in many high schools too.
Parents are their child's first example and kids are learning from their parents how to treat their peers. Its sad to hear the viciousness of these attacks and the educational system did nothing..
Bullying has been going on forever - unfortunately, it seems kids are taking it to a new level these days... is this a reflection of how violent our society has become?
The old "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me," just doesn't work any more.
Maybe we should send these bullies into a hard core prison to open their eyes and let them be bullied.
Suicide is considered as a way to end an unbearable pain caused by emotional problems. It is a cry of request for help. Someone who tries to suicide is so sorrowful that it is unable to see that there are other options.
I think schools should take action about bullying. This is not healthy for students who don't have a strong personality. It's just sad that some kids don't fight back or do something about it to stop bullies from attacking them.
i can't believe how different kids are now. the bullying is out of control. i remember some kids picking on each other in school, but nothing like what goes on now. when 11 year olds are killing themselves, its way past time to start taking action against this bad behavior. how did this get so out of control? should the parents of the "bullies" be held responsible when someting like this happens?
I can't think of anything more heartbreaking than these kids committing suicide because of being bullied.
My heart goes out to that young boy's family. Where is the help these children require?? The school? What is the school doing about it? When will this bullying stop??!!
Mike. I agree with you. Its difficult to carry out strategies using the Geneva convention while terrorists can do what ever they want.
How sad about the children 🙁
I know at the elementary school my kids go to bullying is discussed extensively. I think that in my case the school does. Does the parents of the bully understand? How do you go to the home of the bullying child and reprogram their parenting skills. The schools can only do so much. It is more of a parent issue.
the boy was hurt and sad, they teased him as bullying on him! that is not right to bully on him. What were they thinking??? we don’t accept this bully at school across the country!
Fareed Zakaria is right about the wider implications of the US using these interrogation methods. We can lose trust with other countries and also starting giving people in other countries and in our own country wrong ideas about the US. That doesn't even mention the fact that it is incumbent on the US to exercise leadership in human rights.
The best way to stop a bully is to stand up to them.
That's so sad another bullying case and another child dead. Something should be done at schools about this bullying.