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Spoiled Brats Are the New Bullies
05/13/2010
IconThere is a precedent-setting action being taken by the District Attorney in South Hadley, Massachusetts.  A high school freshman, Phoebe Prince, new in town from Ireland, was harassed by a pack of older teens.  This was school bullying taken to the extreme:  she was subject to threats and physical abuse, and unfortunately, this young girl hanged herself when she could no longer tolerate the terror.Criminal charges ranging from statutory rape to stalking and civil rights violations have been filed against the teenagers (two boys and four girls).Unfortunately, the criminal charges stop there.  I would add that teachers, the principal and the administration should be subject to criminal charges as well or a civil lawsuit, because the bullying was common knowledge for months, and the girl's mother twice complained to school staffers.  Some bullying was even witnessed by teachers.  It's time to rise up and counter this vicious free-for-all going on in our schools.Where do the kids get the gall to do this?  From everything around them! Watch "reality" television.  It's all about being mean and out of control.  Even American Idol has so-called "judges" who insult people on national television.  Watch music videos and listen to mean/hostile lyrics with out-of-control sexually aggressive scenes.  What happened to the heartsick love songs of the 1950s?Watch television or listen to most radio with people shouting angrily at each other, accusing each other of racism and such simply for having a different opinion or point of view.  Dominating people by humiliation is what we do for entertainment in our society.  "Lord of the Flies"-type behavior from our children should not be a surprise.  What is a surprise is that adults and parents stand by, afraid of their own children and handcuffed by political correctness, where vile behavior now becomes protected speech. That whole town of South Hadley, Massachusetts should be ashamed.  Phoebe's parents should have taken her out of that school the same way I tell parents in step-families to leave with their children when the spouse or the spouse's children become abusive.  The school should have thrown those brats out on their ears, worrying later about whether or not their parents would sue.If you're thinking "Well, no one could know that she would kill herself," you should know that according to one source, "one of the girls posted on Phoebe's Facebook page right after her suicide:  'Accomplished.'"They tormented her to death on purpose.This is our next generation?
Tags: Character, Courage, Conscience, Character-Courage-Conscience, Education, Family/Relationships - Teens, Mental Health, School, Social Issues, Suicide, Teens, Values
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