Submit your stories of peer abuse (in the workplace, schools, online) to [email protected]. Your story may help someone through a difficult time, or encourage others' to come forward. If you were a bully, we would like to hear from you, as well! If you would like to stay anonymous, specify that in the email.
Elementary school student commits suicide
I too have been against school bullying once a friend killed himself from being bullied. I was in elementary school when he killed himself. He hung himself in a tree at the end of his driveway. We went to church together at Nanjemoy Baptist Church and he was a few years older than me, so I didn't know him much in school. I was always nice to him, but I heard kids and even adults say mean things to him. I know it was week or two before he killed himself a person from church was about to drive him and me home and the driver told him he smelled really bad and needed to take a shower. He was a mixed kid and his family didn't have much money. His mom was a single mother and not exactly sure what happened for him to get so depressed. He was always nice and cheerful to me. Kids are mean and even some adults are. Ever since he did this I always made it a point to take up for kids when I was in school. I was somewhat part of the popular crowd and would always step in as soon as I heard other kids saying mean things. I don't think I would of stopped every bullying I saw if it had it not been for my experience of losing a friend at such a young age from bullying. I tried to look his story up online, but only found his gravesite. It's so sad that no one knows his story and he was so young! He didn't deserve to die so harsh not to mention living a life of bullying.
Here is a link to his gravesite:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Hancock&GSiman=1&GScnty=1194&GRid=30184406&
-A.V
Here is a link to his gravesite:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Hancock&GSiman=1&GScnty=1194&GRid=30184406&
-A.V
Teachers join in Bullying (name changed to protect victim Identity)
It is with deep regret that I send you this email regarding the bullying of my 10 yr old granddaughter not only her peers, but by her teachers! I have finally come to the conclusion that it is our school systems employees that set the standards for the students to follow. They lead by example, and it is because of this lack of example, that student across the country deal with this daily.
I can support this with valid evidence. My daughter placed a recorder in my granddaughters back pack before attending school. When she listened to the recorded tape, she was shocked to not only hear the teachers bullying J, but a parent of a student telling their daughter it was OK to beat up J at any time!...Yes I have this on recording.
J is an extremely gifted child in 4th grade. She is very outgoing and talented. She loves to sing! She never meets a stranger, always welcomes others into her circle of friends. She has been dealing with the bullying at her school for the past few years. The teachers don’t like her aggressive nature and continually put her down in front of others.
-Anonymous
Bullied throughout life
My name is Shannon Windsor, and I am a victim of bullying. It started out in elementary school and carried all the way into high school. I was born with asthma and most nights stopped breathing , I was put on strong ,heavy amount of steroids as a child to help my lungs. They saved my life , but the side effects caused by the steroids and bullying from those side effects are what lead me to almost taking my life a few times. The steroids made me a heavier child than the rest of children my same age, and because of that I got bullied everyday for my weight. I can't even begin to describe the pain that came with every harsh word someone said to me. I got called everything from fat, disgusting , "a whale and not a girl", and so many other names. Boys favorite thing was to tell me I was ugly and looked like a boy, that I should just kill myself because no one would ever want me. In summer camp , I got beat up by a group of girls and one of them scratched me IN the eyes. Left me not being able to see for a day, and ironically now as an adult , I have horrible eye problems. In middle school , there was a grace period from the bullying when I transferred to a Christian private school. But sadly ,my 8th grade year my parents didn't have enough money to send me back and I had to go to John Hanson middle school, the school I was zoned for. When I was in this school it was probably the lowest point of my life. I had no friends, no one to talk to, and no one to help. I was the "weird" new girl and no one would talk to me. A group of fellow students , harassed me day in and day out for numerous things. That I wore the same clothes every week (even though they were always washed and cleaned) because I felt too self conscious to buy new clothes. I began cutting myself to the point that there was not one clear spot of uncut skin left on my arms. It got so bad that my parents discussed sending me away to a rehabilitation center, after I had attempted suicide by cutting my wrist. Eventually I got a strong group of friends in high school and tho we got bullied as a group by other students we stuck strong through it all and were each others support system. I honestly think those friends are the reason I'm still here today and I am forever thankful for that. No child should have to go through anything I went through , or what other victims have gone through ! There needs to be change and more discipline within the school system. It may save a child's life.
-Shannon Windsor
I can support this with valid evidence. My daughter placed a recorder in my granddaughters back pack before attending school. When she listened to the recorded tape, she was shocked to not only hear the teachers bullying J, but a parent of a student telling their daughter it was OK to beat up J at any time!...Yes I have this on recording.
J is an extremely gifted child in 4th grade. She is very outgoing and talented. She loves to sing! She never meets a stranger, always welcomes others into her circle of friends. She has been dealing with the bullying at her school for the past few years. The teachers don’t like her aggressive nature and continually put her down in front of others.
-Anonymous
Bullied throughout life
My name is Shannon Windsor, and I am a victim of bullying. It started out in elementary school and carried all the way into high school. I was born with asthma and most nights stopped breathing , I was put on strong ,heavy amount of steroids as a child to help my lungs. They saved my life , but the side effects caused by the steroids and bullying from those side effects are what lead me to almost taking my life a few times. The steroids made me a heavier child than the rest of children my same age, and because of that I got bullied everyday for my weight. I can't even begin to describe the pain that came with every harsh word someone said to me. I got called everything from fat, disgusting , "a whale and not a girl", and so many other names. Boys favorite thing was to tell me I was ugly and looked like a boy, that I should just kill myself because no one would ever want me. In summer camp , I got beat up by a group of girls and one of them scratched me IN the eyes. Left me not being able to see for a day, and ironically now as an adult , I have horrible eye problems. In middle school , there was a grace period from the bullying when I transferred to a Christian private school. But sadly ,my 8th grade year my parents didn't have enough money to send me back and I had to go to John Hanson middle school, the school I was zoned for. When I was in this school it was probably the lowest point of my life. I had no friends, no one to talk to, and no one to help. I was the "weird" new girl and no one would talk to me. A group of fellow students , harassed me day in and day out for numerous things. That I wore the same clothes every week (even though they were always washed and cleaned) because I felt too self conscious to buy new clothes. I began cutting myself to the point that there was not one clear spot of uncut skin left on my arms. It got so bad that my parents discussed sending me away to a rehabilitation center, after I had attempted suicide by cutting my wrist. Eventually I got a strong group of friends in high school and tho we got bullied as a group by other students we stuck strong through it all and were each others support system. I honestly think those friends are the reason I'm still here today and I am forever thankful for that. No child should have to go through anything I went through , or what other victims have gone through ! There needs to be change and more discipline within the school system. It may save a child's life.
-Shannon Windsor