When bullying goes high-tech
Editor's note: Don't miss the premiere of "The Bully Effect" on AC360° at 10 p.m. ET Thursday. Note graphic language in this story.
Brandon Turley didn't have friends in sixth grade. He would often eat alone at lunch, having recently switched to his school without knowing anyone.
While browsing MySpace one day, he saw that someone from school had posted a bulletin - a message visible to multiple people - declaring that Turley was a "fag." Students he had never even spoken with wrote on it, too, saying they agreed.
Feeling confused and upset, Turley wrote in the comments, too, asking why his classmates would say that. The response was even worse: He was told on MySpace that a group of 12 kids wanted to beat him up, that he should stop going to school and die. On his walk from his locker to the school office to report what was happening, students yelled things like "fag" and "fatty."
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Post by: Elizabeth Landau Filed under: Bullying • The Bully Effect |
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My buddy co mplained to his dad about cyber bullying and says it was a powerful moment when his dad reached over and hit the power button on his computer.