ianstone
03-29-2010, 04:31 PM
Nine charged with bullying after teen commits suicide
Massachusetts prosecutor says teenage girl suffered months of stalking, harassment
Nine teens have been charged in the “unrelenting” bullying of a teenage girl from Ireland who killed herself after being raped and enduring months of torment by classmates in person and online, a prosecutor said Monday.
Northwestern District Attorney Elizabeth Scheibel said 15-year-old Phoebe Prince was stalked and harassed nearly constantly from September until she killed herself Jan. 14. The freshman had recently moved to South Hadley in western Massachusetts from Ireland.
“The investigation revealed relentless activities directed toward Phoebe to make it impossible for her to stay at school. The bullying for her was intolerable,” Ms. Scheibel said.
Six teens — four girls and two boys — face charges including statutory rape, assault, violation of civil rights resulting in injury, criminal harassment, disturbance of a school assembly and stalking. Three younger girls face delinquency charges.
Ms. Scheibel said the harassment began in September. She said school officials knew about the bullying, but none will face criminal charges.
“The actions of these students were primarily conducted on school grounds during school hours and while school was in session,” the prosecutor said.
Ms. Scheibel refused to discuss the circumstances of the rape charges.
Ms. Prince's family has moved away from the area and could not immediately be located for comment. Ms. Scheibel spoke for them at a news conference to announce the charges.
“The Prince family has asked that the public refrain from vigilantism in favour of allowing the judicial system an opportunity to provide a measure of justice for Phoebe,” she said.
Some students accused of participating in the bullying have been disciplined by the school and will not be returning to classes.
Ms. Scheibel said the case is still under investigation, and there may be additional charges.
The Massachusetts Legislature cited Ms. Prince's death and the apparent suicide of 11-year-old Carl Walker-Hoover last year when members passed anti-bullying legislation earlier this month.
Anyone who bullies another person should be severely punished. As a child in grade school, I was bullied relentlessly. I know what it feels like, and still remember vividly the taunting, teasing, verbal and physical abuse. Why do the schools turn a blind eye? Why do parents of bullies not deal with it?
It is so sad to hear of cases like this, where the victim takes their own life as they don't see a way out, other than suicide.... Bullying is so wrong.... and shouldn't be tolerated, period.
3/29/2010 4:05:43 PM
I am THE OPPOSITE of a bully. I am NOT a bully. I stuttered as a kid and was bullied. But I'm not passive or passive-aggressive by nature so fought back. I've defended others from being bullied. But I know you can't go around being a victim if you can avoid it. Some kids and adults need to toughen-up plain and simple. It's a rough world and don't let anyone fool you otherwise. That doesn't mean you behave like an ahole or go around mean-spirited 24/7; it means you stop being a professional victim, sometimes hard for kids, but there are many adult professional victims.
I feel very bad for the girl and her family. Very sad she didn't reach out more because there are MANY who can and would have helped her.
To Canadianity: just to isolate them forever is not a solution, educating them is not what is sounds...we don't educate them to be bullies...we educate them to recognize and how to deal with them. This seems to work in the jails. I just wish they did it in schools too.
3/29/2010 3:59:49 PM
franco13: "Either remove them from the environment or educate and toughen them up...or you can do nothing and let them die... "
To remove them (at least temporary) for their own protection: that makes sens. But to educate them? At what? At being a bully themselves? Common!
We are civilized because we are rational and can control our animal instincts. Bullies should learn to do it.
I have added this article to show this happens every where. It is about time we stopped this from happening,Guys.
Massachusetts prosecutor says teenage girl suffered months of stalking, harassment
Nine teens have been charged in the “unrelenting” bullying of a teenage girl from Ireland who killed herself after being raped and enduring months of torment by classmates in person and online, a prosecutor said Monday.
Northwestern District Attorney Elizabeth Scheibel said 15-year-old Phoebe Prince was stalked and harassed nearly constantly from September until she killed herself Jan. 14. The freshman had recently moved to South Hadley in western Massachusetts from Ireland.
“The investigation revealed relentless activities directed toward Phoebe to make it impossible for her to stay at school. The bullying for her was intolerable,” Ms. Scheibel said.
Six teens — four girls and two boys — face charges including statutory rape, assault, violation of civil rights resulting in injury, criminal harassment, disturbance of a school assembly and stalking. Three younger girls face delinquency charges.
Ms. Scheibel said the harassment began in September. She said school officials knew about the bullying, but none will face criminal charges.
“The actions of these students were primarily conducted on school grounds during school hours and while school was in session,” the prosecutor said.
Ms. Scheibel refused to discuss the circumstances of the rape charges.
Ms. Prince's family has moved away from the area and could not immediately be located for comment. Ms. Scheibel spoke for them at a news conference to announce the charges.
“The Prince family has asked that the public refrain from vigilantism in favour of allowing the judicial system an opportunity to provide a measure of justice for Phoebe,” she said.
Some students accused of participating in the bullying have been disciplined by the school and will not be returning to classes.
Ms. Scheibel said the case is still under investigation, and there may be additional charges.
The Massachusetts Legislature cited Ms. Prince's death and the apparent suicide of 11-year-old Carl Walker-Hoover last year when members passed anti-bullying legislation earlier this month.
Anyone who bullies another person should be severely punished. As a child in grade school, I was bullied relentlessly. I know what it feels like, and still remember vividly the taunting, teasing, verbal and physical abuse. Why do the schools turn a blind eye? Why do parents of bullies not deal with it?
It is so sad to hear of cases like this, where the victim takes their own life as they don't see a way out, other than suicide.... Bullying is so wrong.... and shouldn't be tolerated, period.
3/29/2010 4:05:43 PM
I am THE OPPOSITE of a bully. I am NOT a bully. I stuttered as a kid and was bullied. But I'm not passive or passive-aggressive by nature so fought back. I've defended others from being bullied. But I know you can't go around being a victim if you can avoid it. Some kids and adults need to toughen-up plain and simple. It's a rough world and don't let anyone fool you otherwise. That doesn't mean you behave like an ahole or go around mean-spirited 24/7; it means you stop being a professional victim, sometimes hard for kids, but there are many adult professional victims.
I feel very bad for the girl and her family. Very sad she didn't reach out more because there are MANY who can and would have helped her.
To Canadianity: just to isolate them forever is not a solution, educating them is not what is sounds...we don't educate them to be bullies...we educate them to recognize and how to deal with them. This seems to work in the jails. I just wish they did it in schools too.
3/29/2010 3:59:49 PM
franco13: "Either remove them from the environment or educate and toughen them up...or you can do nothing and let them die... "
To remove them (at least temporary) for their own protection: that makes sens. But to educate them? At what? At being a bully themselves? Common!
We are civilized because we are rational and can control our animal instincts. Bullies should learn to do it.
I have added this article to show this happens every where. It is about time we stopped this from happening,Guys.