Nine charged with bullying in teen's suicide

[melliedee]

This case makes me so sad.

NORTHAMPTON, Mass. — Insults and threats followed 15-year-old Phoebe Prince almost from her first day at South Hadley High School, targeting the Irish immigrant in the halls, library and in vicious cell phone text messages.

Phoebe, ostracized for having a brief relationship with a popular boy, reached her breaking point and hanged herself after one particularly hellish day in January — a day that, according to officials, included being hounded with slurs and pelted with a beverage container as she walked home from school.

Now, nine teenagers face charges in what a prosecutor called "unrelenting" bullying, including two teen boys charged with statutory rape and a clique of girls charged with stalking, criminal harassment and violating Phoebe's civil rights.

I just heard on a morning show that disparaging remarks continued on the girl's Facebook memorial page.


The Associated Press: 9 charged with bullying Mass. teen who killed self

[Anna Banana]

what a terribly sad story.

Originally Posted by melliedee

This case makes me so sad.


I just heard on a morning show that disparaging remarks continued on the girl's Facebook memorial page.

The Associated Press: 9 charged with bullying Mass. teen who killed self

[Luv2Dance]

Originally Posted by melliedee

This case makes me so sad.




I just heard on a morning show that disparaging remarks continued on the girl's Facebook memorial page.


The Associated Press: 9 charged with bullying Mass. teen who killed self

This kind of stuff makes me sick to my stomach! That poor girl. And to hear it continued on her memorial page.........what the hell is wrong with people??

[SunKneeMarie]

this was my biggest fear when raising kids through the teen years... because you don't know what it is that makes someone a target... and then how it goes on and on... being a teen is hard enough with just the regular ups and downs and slights and teasings and relationship issues--to be bullied like that during those years has to be the worst feeling ever... so so sad

[Eileencc]

This case has been all over the news in Massachusetts. The worst part for me-beyond the overt tragedy of a beautiful young girl ending her life-- is that quite a few adults seem to have known what was happening, yet not one of them took the initiative to put a stop to it. And no adults are being disciplined in this case. I just don't understand how people can be so ugly and cruel.

[TJordan]

Terrible.
Breaks my heart.

[melliedee]

Prince’s death has drawn the media spotlight on the scourge of bullying, and how targets are relentlessly pursued on the Internet. It also stirred Beacon Hill lawmakers to move on long-stalled anti-bullying legislation. An anti-bullying bill is close to reaching Gov. Deval Patrick’s desk.

Judge said he hopes something positive will come from Prince’s tragic death.

‘Significant’ announcement in Phoebe Prince case - BostonHerald.com

[melliedee]

More on the legislation:

In the uproar around the suicides of Ms. Prince, 15, and an 11-year-old boy subjected to harassment in nearby Springfield last year, the Massachusetts legislature stepped up work on an anti-bullying law that is now near passage. The law would require school staff members to report suspected incidents and principals to investigate them. It would also demand that schools teach about the dangers of bullying. Forty-one other states have anti-bullying laws of varying strength.

“The investigation revealed relentless activities directed toward Phoebe to make it impossible for her to stay at school,” Ms. Scheibel said. The conduct of those charged, she said, “far exceeded the limits of normal teenage relationship-related quarrels.”

It was particularly alarming, the district attorney said, that some teachers, administrators and other staff members at the school were aware of the harassment but did not stop it. “The actions or inactions of some adults at the school were troublesome,” Ms. Scheibel said, but did not violate any laws.

9 Teenagers Are Charged After Classmate?s Suicide - NYTimes.com

[gingele]

Heartbreaking and terrifying. My heart goes out to the girl's family.

[Rissask]

What the hell is the matter with some people? Mob rule? Boredom? Ignorance? Bigotry (are the Irish still considered to be 'the blacks of Europe, even today?). WTF?

[PCANNIE]

It sickens me to read that adults, the supposed people in charge, did nothing to help this poor girl. What could this 16 year old have done that warranted being treated so miserably ? The adults whats up with them ? I would fire all that knew this was going on, they are not fit to work in the school system. The bullys and their friends are disgusting writing nasty remarks on the memorial page, shame on them, shame on the parents that raised them.

[PCANNIE]

Adults wonder why there are school shootings, isn't this a prime example of how these incidents can happen ?

[Sol]

This is so horrible. My heart goes out to her and her family.

[TJordan]

Originally Posted by PCANNIE

It sickens me to read that adults, the supposed people in charge, did nothing to help this poor girl. What could this 16 year old have done that warranted being treated so miserably ? The adults whats up with them ? I would fire all that knew this was going on, they are not fit to work in the school system. The bullys and their friends are disgusting writing nasty remarks on the memorial page, shame on them, shame on the parents that raised them.

Why?
Are they to blame for how they treated this girl?


They could of done everything to raise them right, and this still happened.

[Luv2Dance]

from the article...

"No school officials are being charged because they had "a lack of understanding of harassment associated with teen dating relationships," and the school's code of conduct was interpreted and enforced in an "inconsistent" way, Scheibel said."


wth?!! Someone please explain this one to me................this went on for almost 3 months...right?