Ty Field – Age 11

Richard "Ty" Field Smalley - Age 11

 Ty Field was an 11-year-old sixth grader, who shot himself one evening in late May 2010, following an incident at school which culminated in his being suspended.  According to Ty’s parents, he had been bullied all year-long by another child at his school.  And on this particular day, Ty stood up for himself, and was reprimanded with a suspension by the school. 

Ty’s father, Kirk Smalley, said, “I think he was tired of fighting it. I don’t think he had anything left in him.” He went on to note that his wife had complained to the school and gotten no satisfaction, the school characterized it as “Boys will be boys.”  

The Superintendent of Perkins Schools, James Ramsey said he there was no indication the bullying occurred.

Here is a video clip from Kirk Smalley speaking on the bullying which Ty received which led to his suicide.

Links:  Newson6.com

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RETURN TO: 

Bullying: The 34 we lost in 2010 to Bullycide.

Note: 10 May 2011 – corrected name per comment received from Field family

20 Comments

  1. Just watched BULLY… Can’t help but feel so sorry for what Ty and your family are going through… Why can’t your school have a supervisor on board to watch your children… Your police force are showing no concern… Unless they are physically assaulted.. Your judges are also unsympathetic…. Watching the principal take on a young child saying why didn’t you tell us, and he says that he has with NO results.. Your school systems is truly unsympathetic to their students dilemma….

  2. The response of the school system is a joke . Thats what happens when you put power hungry showboaters in positions of authority. People who still value common sense see that the school needs to stand up to those who bully and implement classes where they teach assertiveness and self defense .
    If the teachers wont accept thier position of leadership and stand up to ekeven year old bullies , then how is an eleven year old going to be mentally prepared enough to fight them alone ?
    I was bullied but quickly realized that no one was going to help me unless I fought back and helped myself. It shouldn’t be this way . It’s those who are different that have something to offer this world .

  4. I just recently watched the Bulli movie & I was so disturbed at the fact that these children were being bullied to death. why would someone do that. I am so sorry for your lost of your 11 year old son. just know he is watching over you. happy late birthday btw Ty your birthday is 5 days before mind :).

    1. I am a teacher and I am AGAINST bullying! I feel that I am in one of the most important positions on this planet to teach and model camaraderie and accept of others. It is the theme in my classroom and my expectation in the school. It’s not always obvious when kids are bullied, but I build a sense of community in my classroom that opens the door for the students to tell me what they see that I don’t. I will not tolerate bullying and have put it to an end several times. These school’s like Ty’s make me sick in the way that they look the other way. If he had been my student and I had known about this, he’d be alive today

  5. We love you Ty Field we inoperable that the bully(ies) pay for what they have done “boys will be boys” well boys don’t bully til the point where the victim commits suicide YOU NEED JUSTICE stay

  6. We all love you very much ty smalley and I hope that the bully(ies) pay for what they have done to you ” boys will be boys” well boys don’t bully til the point where the victim is commiting suicide it’s just not right YOU NEED JUSTICE!! Stay

  7. Ty was a good kid We were good friends in school. He was always eating beef jerky and drinking rootbeer. He could play some serious thetherball lol. He was one of my first friends there at perkins as sixth grade was my first year there and one ill never forget. He was a great friend. People were texting me saying that he had shot himself and I had thought they were messing with me until the next day of school and ty wasnt there, then I realized that the rumors were true. I attended his funeral and almost the whole school was there, the church faculty had to open a whole new room because there was so many people there. I still wish to this day he had told me somebody was bullying him because he would still be here today, but he didnt so now hes gone. R.I.P buddy!

  8. I’d like to get in touch with Ty’s mother. How could I send her an email?

  9. I feel for the grieving parents of Ty Feilds. I just have one question for the school board and the state, Ty got suspended but what happened to the bully that had been tormenting him for a whole year on a daily basis? Did the bully get any sort of punishment? I love how they say “Boys will be Boys” well I dont agree with this at all bc little boys such as Ty dont just think suicide at 11 years old. I also think that whom ever said boys will be boys should not only lose their job but they should lose their teaching degree as well.

  10. I FEEL FOR ALL OF YOU. I have a son who went through repeated bullying. We took him out of School and he studied at home until he found another School where he was accepted. We wanted to takes things further with the School and still do to this day.

    I am happy to do what is necessary to change the attitude of the Schools. These bullies need to be expelled and an example set!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  11. I love you now I love you then I always have and always will! My firecracker of an Italian son,I miss you…3 years sneaking up quick….I hope I can reserect your dignity…
    Love Momma….

  12. I am only 10 years old I DO NOT tolerate bullying. I mean what did they ever do to you?? I just recently watched the movie Bully and even I cried! me and my mom now have matching shirts that say, I stand for the silent. and I too have been bullied and it sucks. I am on Kirk Smalley’s side. I would do anything to make bullying never happen at schools. Ty Smalley and Tyler Long or anybody who is bullied, are in my heart.

  13. I saw Bully today, I cried and all I wanted to do was get in the car and drive to the Smalley family and ask, what can I do. My daughter is a bully victim, and since her last incident we started a FB page to help stop this problem, that is inundating our small community. Bully made me so MAD. I wanted to hold all these children and promise them their safety. I know I cant, but I can Take a stand against BULLYING and continue to tell the stories of the one’s taht have left us far too early. I pray GOD guides me and my daughter through this time and helps us to continue to be heard against the mena in people.

  14. I think school need to start helping out with this…. this was really sad what found out about ty. well i know i am somebody. i’m going help stop it…..

  15. The schools can’t keep ignoring this. I’m only 13 and I know that this is a serious matter. If the schools don’t do something about it it’ll only get worse. And I hope that he didn’t die in vain, that people will see this and take a stand against bullying, that the school will fix this problem, and that less people will die because of the horrible thing that happened to this boy. I never knew him or even heard of him until now and cried when I read this. Please anyone who reads this, if you are being bullied, tell someone. And if you stand by and watch someone be bullied and do nothing to stop it, you’re just as bad as the bullies. I love you Ty Feild, you will never be forgoten

Copyright 2025 - Christopher Burgess
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