Education in Death; The killing of Phoebe Prince

"South Hadley High School- Our Working Mission:

We pledge to create a challenging and supportive academic community in which each student will acquire the knowledge and skills needed to successfully pursue post-secondary options of their choice and act as a responsible citizen in a diverse and global society.."

This mission statement has a great set of words, unfortunately it is just words!  We need not centre out Hadley High for all our scorn, although it's tempting to revenge the death of Phoebe Prince, she is one of many victims who have fallen because nobody would take this systematic abuse for it's criminal nature.  Harassment has long been a recognized "crime", but for some reason because the victims are not of legal age, we seem to consider "bullying" an acceptable right of passage. 

"Nine Massachusetts teens were indicted Monday for driving a pretty 15-year-old "new girl" from Ireland to suicide in a case that has become a symbol of high school bullying.The sweeping charges - which come after months of complaints that the bullies weren't being punished - include statutory rape, violation of civil rights with bodily injury, criminal harassment and stalking. Phoebe Prince, a new arrival at South Hadley High School from a tiny seaside hamlet in County Clare, was mercilessly tormented by a cadre of classmates later dubbed the "Mean Girls" by Massachusetts newspapers."The investigation revealed relentless activity directed toward Phoebe designed to humiliate her and to make it impossible for her to remain at school," District Attorney Elizabeth Scheibel said. "The bullying, for her, became intolerable."
"Students said Phoebe was called "Irish slut" and "whore" on Twitter, Craigslist, Facebook and Formspring. Her books were routinely knocked out of her hands, items were flung at her, her face was scribbled out of photographs on the school walls, and threatening text messages were sent to her cell phone."

It's simply amazing to me how a "youth culture" so thoroughly entrenched in the acceptance of the "unique and shocking" are they themselves SO SAVAGELY INTOLERANT!

I was bullied, I imagine because I was English and had an accent. My sister was also relentlessly bullied, my oldest son suffered harassment all through his High School years, probably because he is smart, hardworking, and not a redneck!  I did the unthinkable for many years, although I wanted to go to the school, Paul insisted that things would get worse if I did that. So I did nothing. Then one day he dropped his books and pummeled a kid who had made the mistake of tripping on Paul's last nerve!!  Things seemed to improve after that, and as a result I learned from Paul, not to insist on "non violent" intervention.  I know it goes against everything Christlike that I know of, but I want Matthew to feel that he has some control over what is happening to him.  I don't want him to feel that I'm sending him out there, where there are mean kids who want to break his spirit, with his hands tied behind his back.  I have shared my feelings with his teachers and although they may not be overjoyed, most admit they would advise their kids the same!  Do mean students come from mean parents? Probably, so expecting support from parents is usually not effective...but neither is letting it go, and worse yet is when your child gets labelled because he has stood up for himself against the bullies!!! I once got so enraged by the bullies where we lived grabbed the hair of a boy who had been holding my son's hair while kicking repeatedly...that's not such a good thing to do, especially when the kid (who is now wetting his pants) screams and his mother shows up!!! But there again, I wonder if somewhere in his little head he remembered the crazy lady, and thought twice before yanking and kicking some other child, whose mother wasn't quite so crazy!

So, the death of this young girl, just 15 years old, who emigrated from Ireland just last fall, is now the "poster girl" for changing the management of school bullies. Well, I hope to see it happen.
Other wise, Lady Liberties inscription will have to be changed to read....
"With silent lips.Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"...THAT IS UNTIL YOU START SCHOOL AND THEN YOU'RE ON YOUR OWN!