On January 13, 2011 – Kiefer Allan, age 14, was the first of many children who took their own life during 2011 as a result of not being able to cope with the onslaught of bullying.
Kiefer, a freshman at Sun Lake High School in Odessa, Florida, text messaged his mother and half-sister moments before he stepped outside their apartment and shot himself. His family and friends noted that he had been subjected to bullying at school. The press duly noted that the school had a no-bullying policy; that the state of Florida recognizes bullying as an important issue.
The question needs to be asked, when will school systems focus on pro-social behavior vice anti-social behavior in their education of our youth?
A video tribute to Kiefer Allan:
The reality of bullying (a video created in memory of Kiefer Allan:
Additional Reading:
Bullying focus of teen’s suicide death