Bullying/Suicide are Important Issues

New York City, NY
MSNBC is reporting that 12-year-old Joel Morales of New York City killed himself after being badly bullied in two different New York City Schools.

It is always a tragedy when a young person takes their life.  It is worse when it is due to the actions of others. The finger of blame in these circumstances usually get pointed at the school.  However, without more information, it would be brash to do so.  Even the boy's youth minister wasn't aware of what was going on, and he only recently began talking to someone at the school.

Unrealistic expectations are often placed upon schools when it comes to combating bullying.  Parents don't know, and youth ministers don't know, and school officials just recently found out, what is to be reasonably expected of schools to do?  Or worse yet, the parents who know, don't inform the school until they've had enough, and then expect the school to put an immediate halt to the bullying that has been going on for weeks, months, or years?

My colleague Michael Dorn, in his latest BLOG, brings up six great points that will help schools.  But the best way to help is to consider it a joint effort between parents, schools, mental health and public safety professionals.

I was bullied as a child.  I contemplated suicide as a teen.  The two were unrelated, but for some today it is related.  As educators, the best way we can aid in preventing bullying and suicide is to develop connections with our students, so we have a better chance of knowing if something is amiss.  We also want to use research-based bullying prevention programs to help our students develop the skills to communicate these difficult issues with us.

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