Phoebe Prince & Bullying in Small-town USA

My heart goes out for Phoebe and her family, as well as to all the kids who are tormented every day and feel like they can’t take it anymore. Judging by the pics of the girls, it’s no wonder they were jealous of how pretty Phoebe was. I wonder how the bullies like it to be so hated and reviled now? I think the school (who knew and didn’t do anything), the bullies and their pathetic parents should be held accountable in every way possible. Rest in peace Phoebe.

This story is heartbreaking! Here you have a beautiful girl, new to our country, and this was how she was treated. Every community should have a zero tolerance policy. These teenagers should not be offered any protection just because they are in public school; the law still applies–even to teenagers. If I threw a drink at someone on the street, I would (and should) be charged with assault. These teenagers are disgusting, and I hope they get the sentences they deserve. I also have no patience for the school administrators. They stood by and did nothing. They all have blood on their hands. May God be with the Prince family.

I teach middle school and deal with bullying EVERY day. Cell phones are not allowed at school and bullying is one reason for this rule. Teachers cannot control everything students do in the restrooms, on their cell phones, on facebook after school, in the hall between classes and on the bus. All the while teachers are “held accountable” for test scores with little or no money for paper, field trips, or technology. We are vigilant, but I have 128 students! Parents of students who bully enable their students and are themselves abusive to faculty and staff when their students get into trouble at school. They are the first parents to call or show up at school being abusive and beligerant toward faculty and staff following any earned consequence. KEY ISSUES – (1) popularity has become the primary goal at school (2) socializing takes priority over everything else (3) parents object to the even the smallest consequence earned by a student (4) parents treat faculty and staff with extreme disrespect and abuse (5) parents and students MUST take responsibility for their education and their behavior. The total shift of responsibility from parents and students to schools for food, health, morality, social development, and general well-being reaches a crescendo with this case. The parent/student ratio is approximately 1/1. The teacher student ration is approximately 1/128-150. Until parents support faculty and staff, and pay attention to what their own students are doing… this is going to get worse.

I hope a Phoebe Alert will come out of this horrific event that will help save many others as the Amber Alert does. Regarding the perpetrators: they’ll meet real bullies in prison. I hope then these amateurs will go on the lecture circuit to describe how terrorizing in hs leads to imprisonment and being terrorized.
IMHO, it’s mostly the parents’ fault. Bullies are very monkey-see, monkey-do. Teachers have it rough. But writing up a student terrorizing another student surely can’t add all that much paperwork.
We’re all responsible as a society, too, so long as we don’t crack down on violent behavior early on.

I think several people share the blame in this case.
Several articles I read said multiple teachers witnessed the bullying of Phoebe Prince on the day she died. They didn’t report it until after the fact. Why didn’t they intervene?
When I was in high school, I had a person bullying me over the fact that my dad had lost his job. We were in history, and a teacher overheard the comments directed at me. She halted class, called the bully up, and said, “Apologize or don’t come back to class.” The bully apologized and never said another word. It’s a tough job being a teacher, but there are ways they can help. A teacher helped me…
The parents of the bullies are also at fault. Why these people don’t talk to their children about the importance of being kind to others is beyond me. The bullies in this case have long lives ahead, and they will have to live with what they have done for a very long time.

I think that the teenagers need to be tried as adults. They knew what they were doing, and need to take responsibility. I do not, however, believe that the parents should be held accountable. You can teach your children how to be perfect role models, how to be upstanding citizens, but when the cat’s away, the mice will play. The only ones that are responsible for their actions, are the teenagers. Bullies have low self-esteem. They pick on others to make themselves look better. Bullies need to get what they deserve.

Bullies, you are totally and 100% responsible for the tragedy that led to the end of a precious life. Parents of these bullies, you are totally and 100% responsible for the tragedy that led to the end of a precious life. School Administrators, you are totally and 100% responsible for the tragedy that led to the end of a precious life. You are all totally and equally responsible for your actions, and inactions. Those of you that cannot recognize this, have obviously missed something. What makes this even more tragic, for me, is the way we were treated last year on our first trip to Ireland. I have never met such hospitable, friendly, and helpful people anywhere else I have traveled. One kind lady on the street, who noticed we looked lost, gave us directions to the restaurant we were looking for. Apparently, minutes later, she realized she gave us a wrong turn and actually chased us down for 5 or 6 blocks to APOLOGIZE and point us in the right direction. This is only a small example of the genuine kindness and hospitality we received. I can only imagine how Phoebe must have felt being treated so inconceivably horrible. Ireland, I apoligize for the actions of such vile, evil people. We are all not of the same mind, or heart. God be with you all as you deal with this loss, but also with the evil that would allow such treatment of one of God’s children.

The so called mean girls and the wannabe football player are just a waste of human flesh,REALLY!!! are they really needed in society? Nice welcome to America they gave Phoebe.

The South Hadley Six are toast.
Everybody who has ever been bullied or mobbed knows the reason was simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time. You were relatively powerless, with weak or no ethical authority figures to maintain order. It has nothing to do with victims deserving the attacks and everything to do with the bullies cravings for power and control.
And then they mocked Phoebe’s death, not caring who witnessed. Now every bulling victim in the world (probably numbering in the billions), wants justice, vindication and revenge.
Their only hope is the government starts some kind of bully protection program.

I agree 100% with the previous post. I too was bullied an inordinate amount in school.
Once I was attacked in a stairwell before going onto stage for a chorus concert in front of half the class (20 people). The teacher was no where in site during the incident and did nothing once she learned of it. In fact another girl that same night was attacked by the same person that attacked me.
All that was done was the teacher wrote both the attacker and myself up. The administration tried to tell me that “I couldn’t be let go scott free without punishment”, even though I never technically attacked back and had no previous history of fighting and this was my senior year of high school.
If I hadn’t have stood up and called the school on their b.s. This incident would’ve been swept under the rug as well. I was the one who suggested that more faculty members be assigned to the next Chorus concert the following night (the only adult present was an 8 month pregnant teacher) and remind them that although I didn’t fight back the law states that if you feel you’re life is in danger you can defend yourself and their rules of no fighting period rule goes against the law.
Something needs to be done about bullying by the government. Laws need to be better reinforced that it’s the duty of the school and each teacher to first PROTECT their students and then teach. How would they feel if this were their child this happened to and no one did anything to stop it at their child’s school.