Victim One, the first known alleged victim of abuse by former Penn State coach Jerry Sandusky, had to leave his school in the middle of his senior year because of bullying, his counselor said Sunday.
Officials at Central Mountain High School in Clinton County weren’t providing guidance for fellow students, who were reacting badly about Joe Paterno’s firing and blaming the 17-year-old, said Mike Gillum, the psychologist helping his family. Those officials were unavailable for comment this weekend.
The name-calling and verbal threats were just too much, he said.
Kids can be natural-born assholes, especially if the school environment allows such asshole/fuckwad behavior to exist unabated, more so if they're egged on by adult teachers and administrators who lack the mental maturity to not include themselves in the bullying.
And definitely if they choose to ignore what goes on in the classrooms, hallways, etc.
The parents? If they choose to be non-supportive and either ignore or ridicule their kids when they're being bullied, they become as culpable as the school faculty and staff.
And people wonder why children as young as 10 are choosing to leave this world and their problems behind.
Something Awful has a great thread on bullying, starting with the story of another (yes, another) 10-year-old who committed suicide thanks to horrifically systemic bullying. Some of the stories there will bring you to tears and impotent anger. It may even trigger some bad memories, so be careful.
