Thoughts on bullying... and RIP Jamie Rodemeyer

That piece of genius right there is California Christian Coalition head Robert Newman.

"I hardly think bullying is a real issue in schools." He noted that bullying is "part of the maturational [sic] process" and that "there's no reason to have a special bill for, say, three percent of the population, period." He noted, "I hardly think bullying is a real issue in schools."

I'm thinking folks may have made similar arguments against the Civil Rights Act, asking 'why we need to have a special bill protecting a minority (I've inferred the rest) that's so far beneath us lofty super rich white men'.

Well, Mr. Newman, it's called a democracy. And the idea that we are ALL created equally and entitled to equal protection under the law. I'm thinking if someone was bullying your own sweet child, you wouldn't be so quick to just brush it off as "part of the maturational process." Especially if that bullying caused your poor sweet child to commit suicide.

Today, much of the US is mourning the death of Jamey Rodemeyer, a 14-year-old high school freshman in Buffalo, N.Y. He had made the following It Gets Better video, talking about how he decided to accept he was gay, and talking bravely about that process. He didn't deserve to be ridiculed, bullied, and derided. He should have been praised for his bravery.

And now we have the chance to do that again, sadly, posthumously.



Here's the news story from last night, with an interview with his parents. It's heartbreaking. But I love that the news station gave out information on how to get support as wellas simply telling the story. It would have been great if they addressed the issue of the school's responsibility in this, but I am so appreciative of what they did do.




On a personal note, we dealt with bullying this year. I can tell you, bullying is indeed a problem in schools. My son's girlfriend was being bullied horribly on Facebook. A common theme. People were posting horiffic things about this sweet girl, and it made my stomach turn. I sent an email with screen shots to the middle school principal last year, and on to the high school principal this year. We also happen to know the director of secondary education (my husband is a teacher), so sent an email to him as well. The school took it very seriously, going so far as to file a police report once they saw the extent of the rhetoric being flung about. I'm damn happy that there were laws in place to protect her, and that the school didn't treat it as "part of the maturational process." And I'm happy to say that as a result of the school intervening and the laws in place to protect her, the person was identified and dealt with.

I urge you to do all you can to stop bullying in your neck of the woods and nationally.