Bullying: Reactions from all sides

Hunter Perkins - Accused of Bullying Commits Suicide

Is there another side of bullying?  Has our country overacted in some instances?

On October 11th, life ended for 16 year-old prep-school student Hunter Perkins of Virginia.  He shot himself in his basement.  Teen suicide. We hear of it, probably too often, however it is sometimes connected to a teen being a victim of bullying.  Just last month we heard of the tragic suicide of Tyler Clementi after his classmate sent a viral video of Tyler's private life on the Internet.

Hunter Perkins attended The Groten School, which is considered an elite school.  He was accused of creating sexually demeaning comics about another student with two other boys.  Walter Perkins, his father, in no way condoned this behavior but feels the school overeacted when they asked him to withdraw his son from the school.

According to the Boston Herald, Mr. Perkins said: 'I was going to see that he had sensitivity training. I didn’t feel he deserved the death penalty.'

He also says Hunter had been on antidepressants and saw a psychaitrist hours before his death.  Walter Perkins feels since this incident was on the heels of the Rutger's University suicide of Tyler Clementi, that The Groten School went too far with their punishment of asking Hunter Parker to withdraw from the school.  (Watch video)

Bullying, teasing, harassing, cyberbullying, suicide, depression, emotional scarring and death.  There is only one side and it is the side of educating our communities, schools, teachers, parents and students about all sides of bullying.  Whether your child is the bully or being bullied - education is the key to prevention.  Teach tolerance. Teach acceptance.  Teach kindness.

In St. Johns County parents can visit PACT Prevention Coalition for local resources. (Prevention, Advocacy, Choices, Teamwork).

Be an educated parent, you will have safer teens.

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