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I was not a popular kid in school. I liked learning new things, got along with most of my teachers and had parents who taught me not to succumb to peer pressure. Consequently, I never snuck into the boy's restroom to smoke. I never cut classes. I never felt compelled to wear the same thing the other kids were wearing. Seeing as how I was a diligent student, an independent thinker, loved learning and had a rapport with my teachers, I was not exactly accepted by my fellow students. I was a clique unto myself. I was therefore bullied quite a bit in school. I began reflecting on my own experience with bullies when I read about the sad case of 15-year-old Phoebe Prince, a student at South Hadley High School in Massachusetts who hanged herself as a result of having been bullied by at least nine of her classmates. Some of the girls who are alleged to have harassed her - Ashley Longe, Flannery Mullins and Sharon Chanon Velazquez - will be arraigned on the 8th of April on charges of violating her civil rights with bodily injury resulting. Mullins and Velazquez also face stalking charges. Prince was a new arrival at South Hadley High School from a tiny town in Ireland called County Clare. Her crime: Apparently Prince had drawn the ire of the "Mean Girls" (dubbed that name by Massachusetts newspapers) by briefly dating a popular senior football player in her first freshman weeks at the school. Her punishment: Reportedly, Prince had her books routinely knocked out of her hands, items flung at her and threatening text messages were sent to her cell phone. (According to Children's charity NCH surveyed 770 youngsters and found 14% of 11- to 19-year-olds had been threatened or harassed using text messages.) Aided by technologies which enable them to bully at the speed of light, today's bullies can spread rumors as fast as wildfire raging through dry brush. They mimic and utilize the same methods the tabloids use and are just as indifferent of the damaging results. Not only can bullies torment their victims in person but they can also post vicious messages via social networks, chatrooms and message boards. (In the case of Prince the cruelty continued even beyond her dearth as her tormentors posted vicious comments on her Facebook memorial page.) What can be done about bullying? In my case, I had finally had enough and confronted the ring leader of my bullying. He finally discovered that it was just too much trouble to torment me every day and moved on to easier prey but not before I was made to feel miserable. I dreaded going to school since it meant enduring threats, name-calling and taunts. I felt isolated and as if I had no one to turn to. In the case of Prince there are reports that faculty members, staff members and administrators at South Hadley High School were aware of the bullying and did nothing. If true, they seriously failed this young girl. School faculty has to act in cases of bullying. The site / recommends these cases always be brought to parents and teachers first. Another step they recommend is that the victims of bullying keep a journal of bullying behavior and actions. Another source which has excellent tips on how to deal with bullying is For the adults around Phoebe Prince this was probably seen as just a rite-of-passage - kids being kids. Well it is not normal or acceptable to dole out or be the victim of this kind of abuse. It is not acceptable for a 15-year old to think that the only solution to this kind of agony is to end her young life. R.I.P Phoebe Prince.
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