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Bullying: The 34 we lost in 2010 to Bullycide

Bully Bullying Cyberbullying Bullycide – These four words continue to appear with ever greater frequency in the lexicon of the modern American family. We hear these words on the evening news, in our newspapers, and online in all forums. We live in 2011, but to see how we treat one and other from afar, you’d think perhaps the calendar had rolled back a few centuries. You see – individuals be they young or not-so-young are bullied both at school and at work. The tragedy is, our youth of today, by and large are not prepared for today’s always-on world, even though they live it 24/7. The fact that in 2010 we lost 34 children where bullying was a principal issue in their decision to end their lives speaks volumes. There were 33 who committed suicide. Then there was one young man who was killed while trying to extricate his sibling from two bullies who were pummeling his sibling, he was shot and killed. Each of them has a story, I share these…

Scott Walz – Age 18

Scott Walz was an 18 year-old senior at Johnsburg High School, Johnsburg, Illinois, who died on March 4, 2010, he hung himself at his family’s home. He had been bullied since the third grade. When the parents engaged the elementary school, when Scott was in 4th grade, they were told that Scott has to “toughen up.”