Teen Commits Suicide Due to Bullying

[Catzsy]

A ban on 'bullying' which is a vague term anyway by the government would be sinister in my eyes, the only people who can stop bullying are teachers through proper discipline in schools - something I doubt I can call Lady Gaga a fellow team player in advancing.

How does proper discipline by teachers stop bullying? I agree that discipline is lax because of over zealous interpretations usually by local education authorities. Teachers should feel empowered to be able to deal properly with situations but are often hampered by school governors who perhaps are not the best people to deal with the situation. It is only a part of the problem though and needs a huge shift in public opinion and parents not to dismiss the problem so lightly.

[J0SH]

Sad story, R.I.P. Kiddo

[karter]

Indeed sad. Cyber bullying is really horrible.. I knew some people who had made a facebook event on this guy and were constantly bullying him..

Those who call these people cowards have sure bullied others in school and will obviously, never know how it feels.

RIP

[GommeInc]

How does proper discipline by teachers stop bullying? I agree that discipline is lax because of over zealous interpretations usually by local education authorities. Teachers should feel empowered to be able to deal properly with situations but are often hampered by school governors who perhaps are not the best people to deal with the situation. It is only a part of the problem though and needs a huge shift in public opinion and parents not to dismiss the problem so lightly.

In a way teachers are more involved with the children. Although I agree with you that the lack of discipline a teacher can dish out is only one part of the problem, I think teachers are incredibly important in teaching children and teenagers how to respect one another, and to help children who are bullied to "tell all" and to give them support, advice and then deal with the bullies. Afterall, children are at school most of the time during the day, and the bullies may learn more about their victims and indeed bully at their hardest during school ours. Outside of school, the public must take over including parents and/or guardians. I guess it depends on environment. Teachers teach in an educational environment, therefore they have a responsibility to teach and advise inside school, while parents have a unique way of teaching - if at all, if the family is broken.

[Judas]

A ban on 'bullying' which is a vague term anyway by the government would be sinister in my eyes, the only people who can stop bullying are teachers through proper discipline in schools - something I doubt I can call Lady Gaga a fellow team player in advancing.

At least she is calling for something to be done and aiming for the top to help.

Anyway, Lady Gaga aside, when will the schools actually start to make a change? I think they need to implement far harsher punishments for bullies in all schools, like someone in this thread said already, one little detention doesn't stop anything. Also a big problem is people feel ashamed or embarrassed, like it's not cool, to tell a teacher. That attitude needs to be eradicated somehow... Maybe a huge campaign with lots of big name celebrities that kids will actually listen to?

[-:Undertaker:-]

How does proper discipline by teachers stop bullying? I agree that discipline is lax because of over zealous interpretations usually by local education authorities. Teachers should feel empowered to be able to deal properly with situations but are often hampered by school governors who perhaps are not the best people to deal with the situation. It is only a part of the problem though and needs a huge shift in public opinion and parents not to dismiss the problem so lightly.

I'm not arguing against proper discipline which is what I constantly argue for, i'm arguing against legislation.

At least she is calling for something to be done and aiming for the top to help.

Anyway, Lady Gaga aside, when will the schools actually start to make a change? I think they need to implement far harsher punishments for bullies in all schools, like someone in this thread said already, one little detention doesn't stop anything. Also a big problem is people feel ashamed or embarrassed, like it's not cool, to tell a teacher. That attitude needs to be eradicated somehow... Maybe a huge campaign with lots of big name celebrities that kids will actually listen to?

Nothing will change, our schools are large, de-moralised comprehensives which are so vast that even the best headmaster will struggle to exert any form of control over the pupils. The same will continue;- disipline will go unchecked as will rules in general - our de-moralised teachers, fed up of the endless red tape from government and having to cope with children with differing abilities and/or languages will continue to do very little either in solving this problem or providing a good education to our children.

Britain's a nasty place because we've allowed it to be, and it will continue no matter how many celebrities we throw at it.

[FlyingJesus]

Celebs are definitely not the way to do things. No matter how much someone respects a famous figure, it's unlikely that they'd be able to change the way a person works. If Hedi Slimane made a statement saying that he hates everyone who plays football it wouldn't stop me from playing, the only way is to have smaller class sizes (which does work as it encourages more interaction) and more effective punishment for schoolchildren - even when I was at school it was getting to the point where you could kick someone's head in and only get sent to an isolation room for the afternoon

[Judas]

Celebs are definitely not the way to do things. No matter how much someone respects a famous figure, it's unlikely that they'd be able to change the way a person works. If Hedi Slimane made a statement saying that he hates everyone who plays football it wouldn't stop me from playing, the only way is to have smaller class sizes (which does work as it encourages more interaction) and more effective punishment for schoolchildren - even when I was at school it was getting to the point where you could kick someone's head in and only get sent to an isolation room for the afternoon

Then again you aren't a young impressionable child...

I did also say in my post that harsher punishments should be implemented, and I said that the celebrities should speak up to encourage kids being bullied to tell somebody, because it is considered uncool to do, which is basically ridiculous.

[FlyingJesus]

I may not be an impressionable child but once upon a time I was young and I'm quite capable of remembering what it's like. I'm also able to confirm 100% that if a victim tells the teachers about bullying, it will only make things worse. To quote one instance, a boy in my science classes was advised to keep a list of people who had bullied him, and one of our fabulous group called out to him in the next lesson "Liam, if you put me in your bully book I will set fire to your cat". There really is nothing that can be done short of total 24/7 supervision, as true to Gaga's wonderful born this way propaganda some people were born to be on top and some were born to be the victims of the upper circles

[Judas]

Why do you keep bringing up the whole born this way when it's completely irrelevant to the point?

Anyway, you know full well that's not what her whole message is. Let me get this straight. By your logic; rapists, murderers and terrorists were born to do such things so it's okay and we shouldn't try to stop it, just as bullying a young child until he kills himself is acceptable?

And in the case you mentioned, the kid should have contacted the police as that was a serious threat.