Read the CBS news report, B.C. girl convicted in school bullying tragedy, to learn about the trial of the three teenage girls who continuously harassed and threatened Dawn-Marie, a 14-year old girl from Canada. Dawn-Marie never asked an adult for help and finally committed suicide.
Send your comments.
Comment on this tragic bullying incident. What is your reaction to the conviction of one of the girls who bullied Dawn-Marie? Do you think teenage bullies should be tried in a courtroom? Why, or why not?
Bullying is a disturbing and growing trend, as is bullycide. The documentary Film "Rats & Bullies: The Dawn-Marie Wesley Story" focuses on the tragic incident as well as offers solutions to stopping bullying behavior in schools by giving specifics to administrators, teachers, parents and kids themselves. The website is www.ratsandbullies.com
Posted by: Joanne Greene | May 16, 2010 at 11:53 PM
I find that having the girl convicted was the absolute right thing to do. Bullying is serious and can cause life long problems such as depression. I believe that all bullying cases should be seen and judged by a higher power. You hear these horror stories everyday about suicides and school shootings and when it all comes back to bullying you know that something needs to be done. No matter how much a teacher can yell and punish and no matter how strict parents can be, children will find ways around it and continue to bully for the pure enjoyment and authority it gives them. It is time that the law gets involved.. if it is illegal to throw a gum wrapper out a window then it should most definitely be illegal for children to make other children feel that death is the only option to happiness. Our National Anthem states that we are the land of the FREE and the home of the BRAVE. I think it's time for us not to be hyprocrites and show that we are free by giving every child freedom and it is also time to stand up and be brave and take these matters into a higher authority. Things need to be done.
Posted by: Ashlyn Thomas | April 18, 2010 at 10:15 PM
I know how a lot of bullied people feel. I have glasses, I'm quiet around people I don't know, and I don't try to fit in. As a result of those three traits, I have been bullied all my life.
Since kindergarten, a group of popular people have made my life miserable. When I finally graduated from elementary school, all of the popular people at my new middle school took up the job of verbally abusing me.
My father passed away when I was in sixth grade, which made me quieter and angrier. I annoyed a lot of people because I had unmedicated ADD, or Attention Deficit Disorder. When I finally got on medication for my depression and my ADD, I still was quiet and didn't want to fit in.
I have just about have been called every swear word numerous times and have been beaten up more than a few times. Also, a lot of the boys at my school started randomly picking on me for no reason. They've tripped me, called me many profanities, made jokes about how they thought I was a nerd, and once one of them even threw little plastic explosives at me.
Hopefully high school will be better. And to those who have been bullied, picked on, and beaten up, just remember that you're not alone. I know how you feel. I've shared similar experiences. You're not alone.
Posted by: A Sympathetic Middle Schooler | July 22, 2009 at 03:07 PM
Bullies cannot be stopped. They are everywhere. They bully people not because of their own problem. Not that rubbish. They bully people because of the fun and to earn respect.
The reason people (victims) try and kill themselves is because you get bullied, it is like someone stabbing you in the heart. You feel like you are not around and can't get away, and that's where people make the mistake. Believe me. I might be only age 15, but everyday from when I started my first school I have been bullied and I have also thought of the idea. However thinking about the ones you will make sad usually counters the weight.
Posted by: Stefan | June 25, 2009 at 09:42 AM
We need to stop this, and stop it all now! If our children are to go to a school, we want to know that they are safe. We don't want excuses from schools saying "Oh, we didn't notice the big bruise on your child's face" when it's pretty obvious that bullies are commiting these crime against us, children and themselves! The bullies will grow into the habit and they will be fired from every job they get because of this. If we can stop this now, our children might have a chance of being safe.
Posted by: Chris | May 28, 2009 at 08:01 AM
Adults should do everything in their power to prevent this from happening. I'm in high school and I get bullied every day! I once took action myself instead of telling someone and ended up being excluded for 15 school days. Since then I have kept a record of who it is and what they do, I show this record to my Headmaster/Mistress every week. This is only the first step to stop events like this from happening. It isn't enough. The authorities need to be involved too. You can't always trust a child's story. Governments should take a big step into school life. If governments saw what bullies do and did not just read the stories, bullying would hopefully be considered a serious crime like insurance fraud. If this action is taken, then in time bullying will be abolished and stopped.
Posted by: Chris | May 28, 2009 at 07:54 AM
There should also be strict penalties for teachers and other adults who ignore bullying and don't even report it.
Posted by: Megan | February 09, 2009 at 10:50 AM
Child bullies should be prosecuted under the law if what they are doing is classified as assault and battery. They should be convicted and sentenced to do time in juvenile detention.
Think about it. If an adult were to do the same thing to a child, they would go to jail for a very long time. Yet because someone is 12 or 13 years old, they get off scot free?
Bullying needs to be seen for what is really is: CHILD ABUSE. Doesn't matter if the perpetrator is an adult or a kid. Abuse is abuse.
Posted by: Megan | February 09, 2009 at 10:48 AM
Bullying can be stopped. We just choose not to. Sure there are places that try to help, but when you hear about a kid or teenager committing suicide because of it you see how serious it actually is. When we call a peer a name or embarrass our peers, those scars run deep. There's only so much people can take.
Posted by: Kaila | December 13, 2008 at 03:34 PM
The teenagers responsible for the girl committing suicide need to be tried and convicted as adults. They need to pay. Bullying is very dangerous and school personnel ignore the problem. We need to take a stand and educate people about the danger of bullying and also the penalties and consequences for a bully.
Posted by: Myriam | July 17, 2008 at 08:02 AM
I really feel for her. Parents don't always understand what it's like and overreact by taking your computer away or embarrassing you in front of the whole school. I can see why she didn't say anything. There should be a law or something to prevent things like this from happening.
Posted by: Angie | May 01, 2008 at 03:07 PM
Bullying is a crime. When someone attacks you physically, that is a crime punishable by a prison sentence. But the mind can also be damaged by constant verbal attack or public humiliation, and when this happens victims minds can lead to dark places.
Bullying can not only lead to suicides, but also violence of the worst kind, such as high school shootings and revenge attacks.
Bullying is an act that I believe shoud be punishable by prison sentances depending on the age and circumstances
Posted by: Nate | March 11, 2008 at 08:28 PM
Bullying? hm...what that means to me. Bullying has not affected my life. Sure I have felt left out before, but not as so much bullying. After reading these comments, I now know how badly it can effect people and want to do more to stop it.
I'm working on an assignment about bullying and effects it has on people. I have already learnt so much. Young girls going to jail may be necessary, but they still have so much to learn. They probably already regret it like crazy. If they don't, I'm sure they soon will.
Bullying will never be stopped, but we can definitely reduce the amount of people targeted.
I have definitely changed my values, attitudes and beliefs towards bullying, especially when it comes down to people willing to kill themselves over it. The key I believe is to talk to someone about it, and they can and will help you.
Regards, Ally.G
It's not to bad here in Aussie, but I'm sure it will be if nothing's done!
Posted by: Ally.G | June 05, 2007 at 05:28 AM
I was bullied when I was younger, and I'm still paying for it. my self-esteem could not be lower, and I tried to kill myself several times. I just wanted it to stop... my life is a bit better now, because I'm in college and I have friends who don't abuse me verbally or physically. The wounds have healed, but my soul will remain scarred with the pain of my childhood. Bullying has to stop.
Posted by: Amanda | March 01, 2007 at 11:29 AM
I think what happened is terrible! The schools need to teach kids what can happen if you bully with real stories not just made up ones!
Posted by: Lee | December 23, 2006 at 01:05 PM
I was shocked to hear the news of Dawn. I moved shortly after hearing what had happened, and I remember seeing DJ, I think the day before what had happened. I just can't believe this would happen. I know that bullying in Mission was a big thing, there were lots of bullies.
She was a very wonderful girl. And those girls deserve way more than they got. They should have got some jail time for what they did cause this kind of stuff will keep happening if they don't start doing something about this. Anyways, she will be missed and I hope this kind of thing doesn,t happen again.
KrIsTeN QuEeN!
Posted by: Kristen Queen | November 15, 2006 at 03:01 PM
I think that if bullying is tolerated then the bullies get away with it. Then they feel that they are in power and start doing much worse things like what happened to those girls.
Posted by: Jessica | November 16, 2005 at 07:17 AM
This is a terrible incident. It is a murder, and they are the murderers who bullied Dawn-Marie. I agree with the poor girl's Mom and support taking one of the bullies to court. We should teach children that most times they will have a chance to correct their mistakes.
However, they should pay for what they did and sometimes they don't have a chance to come back to normal life because of terrible and serious results and incidents. In this case, I believe what happened can help all children, teachers, and parents understand how terrible and serious bullying is.
Posted by: Yan | April 29, 2005 at 11:08 PM
Anne Davis,
Witnesses and by standers have to help victims. However, many people do not want to be concerned about bullying situations because normally bullies are very violent and strong people. Therefore, people who witness the bullying situation are scared of bullies, but they have to show their courage. Witnesses have to think they are the only key to solving the problem. Then they have to realize that if they became victims, nobody would help them. They would feels really horrible. Witnesses have to think about this before they ignore victims.
Posted by: Sung Hwi Chung | March 29, 2005 at 08:26 AM
Sung Hwi Chung,
You are showing good thinking on this post! I think you have hit upon a most important aspect of combatting bullying. You talk about courage. It takes courage for victims to tell someone about their problem. It also takes courage for by-standers to report bullying or to do something about it themselves. I read a quote once about courage that said "Courage is the ladder on which all other virtues mount." Claire Boothe Luce is the author of that quote. I think it fits well here. I think more people showing courage would help combat bullying. Do you have some thoughts on how people other than those being bullied could show courage?
Posted by: Anne Davis | March 28, 2005 at 01:08 PM
The prosecutors conceded that the girls may not have intended to kill, but they said the accused had intended to terrorize the victim, which is itself a criminal act. The Crown also argued that society can no longer accept this type of behaviour.
When I was a middle school student, I witnessed a situation like this, but it was different because the victim was handicapped. As a result, she didn't realize people were bullying her. Bullies bothered her everyday, hitting her, spitting in her face, and kicking her. They just enjoyed bullying her and didn't feel guilty. She couldn't even tell the teacher. That situation continued for eight monthes. They tormented her constantly.
When I think of it now, that situation was very terrible. It was trampling upon the individuality of a person and ignoring the identity of that person. Even though the bullies did not intend to kill, it was clearly a crime.
In the end, as in this article, I would like to have seen that bullying behavior monitored by the court system. It was not just a school problem; it was a much more serious problem.
Posted by: Mi Hye Ahn | March 14, 2005 at 08:34 PM
When I read this article, I thought once again bullying is the same as murder. Maybe the three girls didn't think their behavior was so serious, but their behavior finally gave the victim death.
Those three girls are very young to go to jail, but certainly they are guilty. I think the law system of bullying is not complete (good) yet. These days bullying is a very serious and widespread thing, so governments must make the solution or law of bullying more detailed.
School also have a responsibility to stop bullying. Most of bullying occurs in school, but no body wants to intervene. Even teachers don't intervene, they know bullying occurs in their school and know it's a terrible thing, but they just ignore it.
When I was in Korea I watched a TV program about bullying, and I heard one teacher's interview who worked in a school where bullying occurred. The man said he also knew some students were bullying others, but he just ignored that, because he thought if he intervened, the situation would became more serious., and if fortunately that bullying was over, after a while more bullying would occur. So he said it's useless to intervene in bullying.
I disagree. I think bullying is similar to environment pollution (E.P.). These days E.P is serious and widespread, the same as bullying. Many people try to protect environment and there are many commercial about E.P. Let's think, Even though many people try to protect environment, E.P still exists and still remains a big problem.
According to that teacher's opinion we needn't try to protect environment, but the reason, people protect environment is they know and hope E.P will gradually solve the problem. Bullying is same thing. So I think if every person thinks about, is concerned about, and intervenes in bullying, it will be better and better, and finally it will be solved completely. I hope this dream will come true.
Posted by: Lee, Eun Hyun | February 21, 2005 at 08:12 PM
This case shows that bullying is the type of behavior that’s going to be monitored potentially by the court system. I also agree this judgment 100 percent because this is a crime. However, it can’t be solved by punishing just one person. Now, bullying is not one person’s problem, but a social problem since these day bullying is widespread no matter where. It is now very hard to solve for oneself. Hence society, school, and parents all should endeavor to solve it.
As this case shows most of the victims do not talk about their problem. I think they feel scared about the bully’s retaliation and think other people can’t help them, but now this decision can encourage victims and warn bullies. In Korea, there was also a similar decision. A Korean court judged that bullies, bully’s parents, and schools all have a responsibility for victims. I hope that this effort helps to decrease bullying.
Posted by: Seo, inji | February 21, 2005 at 10:48 AM
I read many kind of bullying stories in the media. Many victims do not tell about their problems to parent and teachers. They just figure out that problem by themselves. In the worst situations, they believe death is their only escape.
Dawn Marie Wesley's case is an example of the worst case of bullying. Three girls bullied her, but she didn’t even tell her parents. Finally, she killed herself. She was not mean girl, but bullies harassed her. It was the bullies fault, but suicide was not a good solution. I think she did not have courage to beat bullies.
Judge Jill Rounthwaite said victims did not have the courage to tell the bully to stop or go away. She suggested they needed to. I agree with her. Victims have to talk about their problems with adults near them. That is key of anti bullying.
Posted by: Sung Hwi Chung | February 21, 2005 at 05:28 AM
Nowadays, bullying is the most serious problem in school life. Most people try to find solutions by judging students after bullying incidents. However, who are sufferers, and who are offenders? I think that because the students who we judge are not mature yet, a bully incident includes not only students but also adults.
I don’t think the victim is only Dawn-Marie. To sum up, after several days of intense bullying at school, she received a phone from the girls who were bullying her. They accused her of spreading a false rumor and threatened her life. She believed the stories and committed suicide.
The adults near the students should think their guilty. First, the teacher should have carefully looked after his students. Second, Dawn-Marie’s parents should have had the time talking with their daughter and made her say anything to them. If she had talked her parents about the phone, they could have stopped her from committing suicide. Finally, parents of bullies should have noticed their children’s problems.
I am sure that family life affects children's actions. The important thing is not judging students after bullying but protecting all students. I think it is the most important
responsibility of adults.
Posted by: Sujeong Hong | February 20, 2005 at 07:06 PM