Bullies & Victims: Join the Live Chat
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Tonight on 360°, we're looking for answers in the suicide of a Massachusetts high school student. Prosecutors say bullies drove Phoebe Prince to take her own life. Some are saying the school completely missed the trouble. You'll hear from the principal. We're keeping them honest. Plus, Pres. Obama's new plan for offshore drilling. Is he flip-flopping from comments he made on the campaign trail and we continue our week-long series 'Scientology: A History of Violence".
Scroll down to join the live chat during the program. It's your chance to share your thoughts on tonight's headlines. Keep in mind, you have a better chance of having your comment get past our moderators if you follow our rules.
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Cynthia... Schools can't be held responsible for this.. the teen needs to be held resonsible!! There are so many kids in schools and only so many teachers & administrators... they don't know everything that is going on with all the kids... it's impossible!
My 12 year old daughter is bullied on a daily basis for knowing enough to say no to things she knows is wrong. Not following the crowd gets her verbally abused to the point she's physically ill. And all we are told by the board of education is that kids will be kids, and that maybe we should drop it because we wouldn't want to rock the boat! yet they proudly promote a 0 tolerence for bullying. The police can't do anything until it gets physical. Makes you feel helpless and terrified. This boat NEEDS to be rocked!!!!
Teen bullies grow up to end up in America's massive prison system. The vast number of Jr. High bullies I encountered ALL ended up in extended incarceration long before they were 21. I didn't see any of them in High School.
This is such a serious problem. I agree more training needs to be done with the administration how to handle bullying. Parents also need to be taught the warning signs that children are showing. Administrators and parents need to work together. These are our children's lives!!!
Good for you Scott! Bullies are cowards and they need to pick on someone because they are just plainly jealous of others
I am watching your report on bullying and suicide. You may be interested (or not) that this does not stop at school. I am much older and badly bullied at work by others, who seem to get away with it depsite my complaints. I have similarly considered suicide even at my age so I fully understand these kids who have done it. There are just some really nasty people around. I am not going to give you my full name
my daughter was bullied to the point of depression, the school got involved and then backed out when pressured from the bullying girl's parents! that's what's wrong! parents!
Parents of the bullies will never apologize, because they're bullies themselves. We finally pulled my daughter from her Catholic school junior high class because of the nearly continuous torment she experienced. My daughter wasn't the first to leave her class – many others had already been chased away. After one girl left (let's call her Jane), my daughter was actually informed, "By the way, you're the new Jane." Yet we just kept being told that our daughter needed to toughen up, stop being so sensitive. Other parents told me it was actually my daughter's fault that their daughters bullied her! We tried so many different things and she experienced so much, I'm now worried about the permanent scars this has left on her.
Good evening all
My question is, why is the school not being held as a responsible party in this case??!!
Starr,
Yup! It have to stop now. it is very serious rules are! 🙂 I agree with you.
Good evening everyone. It's good to be with you all. I'm glad to see the bullying issue get all this attention. There have been enough suicides and pain and suffering from these kinds of behaviors.
WHY do I keep hearing about the teachers what about the parents of the kids that caused the bullying. GEES come on people wake up what kind of parents are these. Why are they not coming forward and apologizing??? Someone please hold them more responsiable. It starts at home. Stop blaming the school officals. Yea a small piece is their fault but the parents should know whats going on in their kids lives. If they do not why are they parents. They need to step up and speak and apologize.
Teen bullies grow up to be adult bullies!
@ starr...thank you.
Bullies bully people because they themselves are insecure. If a person being bullied called out a bully on their insecurity they may stop. I was friends with a bully and I always went behind her apologizing to the line of people she terrorized.
My mother did NOTHING when I came home crying. I, myself, went to the police.
Thank you Starr and Nancy..I'm 32 now, I just hope more kids have the strength and the courage to continue without giving up.
It's not an easy battle. I don't think the parents of bullies pay enough attention to their children's actions. They don't monitor their behavior or pay attention to their learning.
It takes one kid to loose his/her life for everyone to be outraged.
Why can't it take one kid to be discovered as being a bully to make people outraged and want to do everything they can to end bullying?
This is so tragic. These bullies must be dealt with. It is so wrong and unjust that the schools' administration turn a blind eye in this issue.
Alot of parents don't know that their child is bullying other kids.. that's where the school and other kids come into play and should step up and make it know to teh parents.. I mean how are parents supposed to know otherwise.. they aren't in school with their kids
WTG @scott you are a survivor!
Hello! and good evening...
Hi! Anderson 🙂
I really appreciated the people who made comments to me on my personal bully story.
HOWever, my point was that i cannot believe, that after all of these years, bullying is not only going on, but has gotten worse!
Teachers KNow what is going on most of the tiem and they talk among themselves. I don't blame the other children, they are young and very possibly afraid of retribution.
Parents & teachers need to get very involved with this issue. Children need to be taught about proper and respectful behavior in pre-school, BUT especially at HOME!
The damage from bullying can last for years and years. And, it is claiming many young lives now! It has to STOP!!
I was just having a conversation about this very subject about an hour ago with one of our Human Rights Commissioners. I have to say I just don't know HOW schools can possibly police this problem or know everything that goes on. Kids don't just step forward and talk about how others bully and physically threaten them. Talking about this makes a child feel about an inch tall. Either way, those who are bullied are frequently left with lifetime scars and it's a lose/lose situation for them–low esteem either way. I was brutally bullied throughout junior high and high school. It still makes me angry.
I don't have kids so I don't know-are schools addressing bullying in the course of their education?
I hope they willing learnown lesson, No one tease students by bullying as harrassed..... I felt sad for them what they had struggle their life, Parents lose their children to remember how to teach right thing to do raise them.
Scott,
You are right, You have good heart and thanks for you comment... I know you are so brave to do. 🙂
As a parent, it is MY responsibility to teach my kids right from wrong. School officials miss a lot of what occurs at school, and I do not expect them to teach my kids the morals I believe they should have. I talk to my kids everyday about what they experience at school and in depth.
Good evening Anderson, bloggers and 360 crew!
They should be EXPELLED!!!!
For sure cowards and people with very low self esteem!!
Its sad that it took all of these deaths for something to be done about bullying. Too little too late
Bullying isn't something that just happens in the U.S. Here in Mexico this type of activity is also increasing. Parents must get more involved with their childrent. It's not only the schools fault. A solution can only be found if parents, school and children work together.
bullying has gotten out of hand. President Obama honestly should try to do something, or at least the senators/governers of the states-something has to be done, and now. Administrators should at least be held accountable for letting the bullying go on for so lond\g it drives a teen/child to commit suicide.
Anderson, if you have a Facebook or a Myspace, you can block everyone or anyone from commenting. When kids bully you on these sites, it's hard to track them down, but you do not have to accept friends or comments on either site. If kids are being bullied this way, they can control it and they all know it, especially high school kids.
"Wild, they did let you through the doors!"
It's really sad that some schools treat students like food for the pride of sharks in the tank and then sit back and do absolutely nothing as taunts and violence against that student ensues. It's a hateful atmosphere where the schools administrators are fully aware of what is going on.
Such tragic stories of these young kids. Why are kids so cruel...why are staff and parents letting this go on? It is just sickening that these kids are being bullied so bad that they feel like they have no other alternative. So sad!!!
@Scott – good for you!! You are absolutely right, bullies are cowards!
Something needs to be done about bullying, no one should have to go through this
I'm so glad you survived it, Scott.
Bullying occurs both during school and after. As someone that was bullied when in school, you really feel like you can't escape it. I felt like I was the one that did something wrong. The only thing that I did wrong was not sticking up for myself. I was a perfect victim.
Scientology he said, she said. It's difficult to put this in context without a series on the basic foundations of Scientology to begin with?
Good evening Anderson & Team 360.
Hello, david, isabel, gabriela, nichole, devin, mike, kim, nancy, casey, dodie, dulcie, a. smith, claus, everyone.
Good evening.. looking forward to tonights show!!!
As a teenager I was bullied because some cowardly students felt I was gay. They were right, I am gay but I didn't deserve the treatment I received.
Today I can proudly say that I am gay but I can also proudly say that I am not a coward. Bullies are cowards.
Bullying isn't something to be proud of. It's not something to aspire to. It's not going to help you grow as person or turn you into an example for others.
Take a step back and think before you bully. You may not realize what that few second impulse might do to the victim for their entire life.
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Evening Anderson and everyone. Looking forward to the rest of the Scientology story