Archives > Lewisville Leader > News
Print
E-mail
Comment
Rate
RSS
Share
Bully victim rally to be held at Lewisville City Hall
By Heather M. Goodwin, hgoodwin@starlocalnews.com
In order to bring awareness to the outbreak of suicide among young people and student-on-student violence, Mothers Opposing Bullying will hold a rally in Lewisville.
The rally will begin at 6 p.m. Saturday in front of Lewisville City Hall, 151 W. Church St. It will be followed by a candlelight vigil at 8 p.m. The event is open to the public and is meant to bring awareness of bully victims who have lost their lives. It is hosted by Belinda Ramsey, Ms. Texas United America & Leading Women of America Ambassador.
"The torment from ongoing, relentless beatings, threats, harassment young children endure while trying to get an education causes severe depression, worthlessness, shame and hopelessness," said Michelle Coxx, bully victim advocate. "Bully Victim Advocates are uniting to bring attention to the suicide epidemic."
"We don't want another child to take their life," Coxx said. "Bullying is up 50 percent and suicide 63 percent this year," Coxx said.
Attorney Philip J. Sweitzer will be one of the speakers at the rally. He said the problem of student-on-student violence cannot be effectively addressed by simplistic and draconian "zero-tolerance" policies.
"Most often, the perpetrators are just as much victims of violence as the students upon whom they revisit the violence. This is a complex social problem, moreover, for which both educational institutions and the legal system have had few solutions, because it requires a broad, community-based, multi-disciplinary approach," Sweitzer said. "The 'cop' approach to the problem, however, is ineffective, because it often only addresses the conduct with punishment, rather than with the other two components of any effective public safety regime, which are deterrence and rehabilitation of student offenders. Our kids are in crisis. We need to make this problem a national priority."
Sweitzer also said the perpetrators of student-on-student violence don't benefit - for the most part - from being stigmatized with "offender" status. He said school counseling staff are often under-prepared to address the "complexity of cause-and-effect, inherent in the student-on-student violence syndrome."
"Communities - that is, public school systems - need to dedicate fewer resources to simple reporting and after-the-fact management of these cases, and more resources to effective, timely intervention," Sweitzer said.
Mothers Opposing Bullying listed several recent cases of suicides among young people including the most recent one. Cade Poulos, 13, shot himself at his school in Stillwater, Okla. Wednesday. On Aug. 21, 12-year-old Noah Graweyer committed suicide in Indiana. In April, 15-year-old Meagan Allen committed suicide at her school in Leander, Texas. Marvin Audridge hanged himself at school in Kerens, Texas and Montana Lance, 9, hanged himself with his own belt in The Colony.
"Advocates are linking together to provide state by state data bases to help parents, victims and schools connect to find answers to the dysfunctional bully cycle," Coxx said. "The bullies are out of control, and victims are still suffering. The need has to be met and fast. The aggressive behavior has to be resolved, and it will take a big change in awareness. Teachers want to know what to do. We have answers to solve the crises if we can all come together for the cause. Our country's future is in our children. The time to get involved is now."
Coxx said Mothers Opposing Bullying believes that if students are "mentally and physically sound they can succeed in all life endeavors."
"Some children struggle from a lack of emotional support at home and at school. They are pressed down and destroyed with no relief," Coxx said. "They must have positive comforting support to thrive. They must be provided a safe - caring - non hostile environment."
Coxx said bullies must have consequences that get attention. She said three days in school suspension is not working.
"They retaliate when released only to assault the victim again and again," Coxx said.
According to Scientific American, in 2005 about 28 percent of U.S. students ages 12 to 18 reported that they had been bullied in the past six months. The magazine also listed signs that children may be a victim of bullying:
* Unexplained reluctance to go to school
* Fearfulness or unusual anxiety
* Sleep disturbances and nightmares
* Vague physical complaints, such as headaches and stomachaches, especially on school days
* Belongings that are lost or come home damaged
For information visit www.MothersOpposingBullying.org.
The following are comments from the readers.
In no way do they represent the view of Starlocalnews.com
In no way do they represent the view of Starlocalnews.com
You must register with a valid email to post comments.
Only your Member ID will be posted with the comments.
Only your Member ID will be posted with the comments.
Registered users sign in here:
Become a Registered User
- Return to: News «
- Home «
- Top of Page ^
