School Bullying Led to Suicide, Parents Say

[The Straight Story]

School Bullying Led to Suicide, Parents Say


SALT LAKE CITY (CN) - Parents say their son killed himself because his school district did nothing to stop his classmates' bullying and taunts that he was a "'fag, and 'queer' and calling him 'gay.'"

Bradd and Edna Hancock sued the North Sanpete School District and School Board, the Sanpete County Sheriff, and school administrators, in Federal Court.

The Hancocks say that throughout middle school and high school the district failed to supervise and protect their son, whom they identify only as J.H.

Students began harassing J.H. on buses and in the halls of North Sanpete Middle School, "calling him names like 'fag' and 'queer' and calling him 'gay,'" according to the complaint.

...

After the first assault in middle school, school security cameras captured another assault on their son, the parents say, but principal Randy Shelley refused to release the footage.

Shelley, a defendant, "indicated to Bradd [Hancock] that he did not care what happened in the future between the boys because if there was another incident involving J.H. - then J.H. would be expelled," according to the complaint.

http://www.courthousenews.com/2012/01/20/43199.htm

[slackmaster]

1. When my stepson was being harassed by a few of his classmates, his mom and I visited the school...

...repeatedly, and leaned on the principal until the problem was solved.

One time we forced them to arrange a conference in the principal's office between us and a bully's mom. Of course her line was that her little angel of a boy could do no wrong, but we had proof (witnesses) that he had stolen something from my stepson. The principal finally got annoyed enough to agree do something about it.

I don't know exactly what she did, but she was able to separate the boys. And I have a suspicion that the bully kid got his ass beaten when his mom went home that day.

[msongs]

2. "...got his ass beaten ...when he went home..." and therein lies a cause of the kid's behavior nt

[slackmaster]

3. I have no doubt that is the case, also not having a functional adult male role model in the home.

I felt sorry for the kid even though he was a dick.

[RebelOne]

4. The son of a friend of mine here in North Georgia

committed suicide when he was 15. He was bullied because he was heavy. One day, he took his father's .22 pistol to school. He stood up in class, said "I am not going to take it anymore." Then he shot himself in the head. This happened in the mid-'90s/

[Ecumenist]

5. That just breaks my heart.....

I am so sorry to hear that. I'm sure it still hurts your friend.

[slackmaster]

6. Completely senseless death

If he really needed to shoot someone, he should have shot a bully.