Disturbing: 13 Year old New York Boy

itiswhatitis · ‎05-27-2016

committed suicide in his Staten Island, NY home.

Daniel Fitzpatrick attended Holy Angels Catholic Academy in Brooklyn, New York. Daniel wrote a letter about being bullied because of his weight and singling out of his teachers at the school.

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/staten-island-boy-13-kills-school-bullying-article-1.2749245

*Call Tyrone*

circles · ‎03-10-2010

What a terrible tragedy....I am so tired of schools doing nothing to stop the bullying going on their schools....then when someone dies...we get the typical..."we take bullying very seriously"....well if you take it seriously why do we have children dying...such a good looking young man....I am so sorry he had to spend his short life unhappy enough to kill himself....

Wsmom · ‎03-09-2010

Isn't that awful?

I know at DD's school the class behind her the girls were so horrid to a new girl and nobody would do a thing about it. The mom went to the principal, teacher, and nothing. The other girls had siblings who went through the school and the parents were known families. A mom of one of the boys in that class was the one telling us about it and was horrified. She made the comment that you would expect that behavior from that school across the street (a public school) but never here. In reality I was also very familiar with that public school. They never would've tolerated that kind of behavior and it would've been dealt with immediately. To my understanding that mom had to finally pull her daughter out.

Jeannie29 · ‎05-18-2014

That letter he wrote is heartbreaking. Many prayers for the family

DiAnne · ‎09-22-2010

Children in that age group are basically cruel especially to someone a little different. I don't see how any school can control this. Probably a lot of it goes on outside the school grounds.

millieshops · ‎03-09-2010

It's horrifying, but the real question is - what would work to stop it?

I retired just about the time that almost all the kids were sent to school with their cell phones and it almost seems as if when that began, the bullying became harsher and more widespread.

First thing I'd want to do is get rid of all cell phones in schools, but that's not going to happen. Parents want their kids to have those phones and there's virtually no way they can be stopped.

the second step I'd want to take is that kids would be supervised on their computers at home, but that's also not going to happen.

Better training is needed so that adults don't bully those in front of them - not teachers to students, not bosses to workers, not public speakers to their audiences, etc.

Would those steps make a difference? I think somewhat. Would they stop the bullying? I doubt it. It's probably always been there - I remember it in the 1950's in my little PA town and it certainly wasn't new then.

CatsyCline · ‎07-24-2013

13 is a tough age and to top it off, the school told him he was going to have him repeat 7th grade, and they wanted him to repeat at a different school. he was supposed to be starting HS. repeating grades is a real self-esteem issue for kids, even worse as they get older. between that and the bullying... the poor kid. he seemed like a nice kid.

itiswhatitis · ‎05-27-2016

@millieshops wrote:
It's horrifying, but the real question is - what would work to stop it?

I retired just about the time that almost all the kids were sent to school with their cell phones and it almost seems as if when that began, the bullying became harsher and more widespread.

First thing I'd want to do is get rid of all cell phones in schools, but that's not going to happen. Parents want their kids to have those phones and there's virtually no way they can be stopped.

the second step I'd want to take is that kids would be supervised on their computers at home, but that's also not going to happen.

Better training is needed so that adults don't bully those in front of them - not teachers to students, not bosses to workers, not public speakers to their audiences, etc.

Would those steps make a difference? I think somewhat. Would they stop the bullying? I doubt it. It's probably always been there - I remember it in the 1950's in my little PA town and it certainly wasn't new then.

Any child found misbehaving should be dealt with. Parents (care givers) whomever should be held responsible in cases such as this. If children continue to taunt and misbehave others it should be grounds for dismissal.

*Call Tyrone*

itiswhatitis · ‎05-27-2016

@DiAnne wrote:
Children in that age group are basically cruel especially to someone a little different. I don't see how any school can control this. Probably a lot of it goes on outside the school grounds.

I'm sure there are ways that can help stop this. Outside school grounds for this age should be supervised. Parents pick up and drop off, but perhaps this young man travelled alone via public transport because he lives in a different area. Not sure.

Where he lives in comparison to where he went to school is likely about 10 miles or more away.

*Call Tyrone*

momtochloe · ‎11-03-2013

@millieshops wrote:
It's horrifying, but the real question is - what would work to stop it?

I retired just about the time that almost all the kids were sent to school with their cell phones and it almost seems as if when that began, the bullying became harsher and more widespread.

First thing I'd want to do is get rid of all cell phones in schools, but that's not going to happen. Parents want their kids to have those phones and there's virtually no way they can be stopped.

the second step I'd want to take is that kids would be supervised on their computers at home, but that's also not going to happen.

Better training is needed so that adults don't bully those in front of them - not teachers to students, not bosses to workers, not public speakers to their audiences, etc.

Would those steps make a difference? I think somewhat. Would they stop the bullying? I doubt it. It's probably always been there - I remember it in the 1950's in my little PA town and it certainly wasn't new then.

@millieshops I so agree with your post. Bullying has been around since the beginning of time but I think with acceleration of technology it has really ramped up the angst. It's way too easy these days to torment someone.

I wouldn't allow cell phones in school either. They are there to learn, not check emails and social media.