Bullied son of Ottawa city councillor commits suicide

[Kreskin]

Where I went to school everyone was involved in bullying, in one fashion or another, including the teachers. My grade 5 teacher used to hit kids with a cosum hockey stick. We use to organize after school fights in class and the teachers turned a blind eye. The whole atmosphere was about intimidation and it was wrong. If my daughter had to endure what we had to (or what others endured from us) I'm pretty sure I'd lose it and go postal. But so far school seems like a much better environment. I assume it's better because there has been a concerted effort to deal with bullying.

 

[Retired_Can_Soldier]

Where I went to school everyone was involved in bullying, in one fashion or another, including the teachers. My grade 5 teacher used to hit kids with a cosum hockey stick. We use to organize after school fights in class and the teachers turned a blind eye. The whole atmosphere was about intimidation and it was wrong. If my daughter had to endure what we had to (or what others endured from us) I'm pretty sure I'd lose it and go postal. But so far school seems like a much better environment. I assume it's better because there has been a concerted effort to deal with bullying.

Where did you go to school? Alcatraz?

 

[Kreskin]

Where did you go to school? Alcatraz?

San Quentin Elementary.

 

[Retired_Can_Soldier]

San Quentin Elementary.

Well that explains it then.

 

[WLDB]

With the lovely invention of facebook I've been able to check up on some of my former bullies. Im quite pleased with what I saw. Two of the three dropped out of high school and are in jail for other violent crimes, the third finished high school but works as a bartender. It really does get better.

 

[petros]

No question Petros. That is why I said he AND I were both lucky because there is not much a parent can do except go to the school and hope that they can do something. My oldest is very wise as well. He said to me...

"Sh**, Tim is such a nice kid and never bothers anyone. What would have happened if I wasn't there? That is what got me mad is that Tim is so nice and happy all the time and this could have changed him if he didn't have me and Joey (his cuz) there."

Some details. When my son confronted them he called them all out to fight after school or right there. He also told them they can bully him any time they want. He told me he was "Mother F*er"ing them. His cousin Joey grabbed one by the shirt/shoulder and formerly introduced his younger cousin to them...

"This is Tim... Tim is my cousin... if I hear again, about him being picked on.... etc."

Tim later told me that his cuz kept squeezing the other kid's shoulder harder and harder as he made his point.

I was lucky even though my older brother had long since graduated I wasn't small and I wasn't a jock either but I did have really hot sisters. It was to my benefit for guys to be on my good side but we've all faced it at one time or another and probably will again.

 

[JLM]

I cannot see suicide being homicide regardless of the circumstance. The decision to kill is not the bullies but the victim's. I think there should be laws protecting the victim from bullying but its not homicide (unless the bully physically starts the chain of events leading to a death). Certainly with proper laws protecting the victim to start with, the suicide may be prevented.

And I realize I haven't said it yet, so I will say it now. My condolences to his family. 15 years old is way to young to die.

I'm not so sure, wasn't "bullying" the cause of his decision to commit suicide?