Andy Leach was a stupid 12-year-old boy with an infectious smile in front of relentless bullying pushed him to kill himself, says father.
“I liked everything to be there for Andy,” and he had a lot to look forward to — he loved being a boy scout and had hoped to play the saxophone in the school band, Matthew Leach told the associated Press. “So when we learned that he has been bullied in any capacity, we started trying to figure out what’s going on.”
What made Andy hung himself in his garage after school on March 6, remains a mystery. Key details are shrouded in confidentiality rules. Southaven chief Steve Pirtle said he could not comment on the investigation. School officials not to respond in detail to questions the AP. Leach gave to investigators Andy’s cellphone and laptop. He said Thursday that he is still waiting for results.
What was done by parents of public woes Andy. Experts in the field of mental health to see the faults in the school system of the district anti-bullying policy. A state legislator who represents a district South of Memphis, Tennessee, says it will offer “the law” Andy in response.
Leach said Andy began to tell them about how school bullies called him fat and stupid about a year ago. Later, a group of students backed him into a corner, saying, “You’re not going to make it out of this room.”
“These children are awful. They have in mind. They are cruel,” Andy’s mother, Cheryl Hudson, told WATN .
Bullying has intensified in the two months before his death, after Andy announced to family and friends that he may be bisexual. He was confused, asking themselves and their faith, says Leach. Word spread within the Southaven high school and the bullies pounced.
“There was a lot going on in Andy,” said Leach. “I think inner turmoil and name-calling, the bullying that went with it, pushed him to the point where he began to make some decisions.”
The Advisor sat down next to Andy and another student in February after the Lich called the assistant Director. He said that this was the only intervention, he realizes. Andy stopped to share feelings then, and only then his parents knew that he was face, he said.
“It’s absolutely ridiculous that children are so that they do not feel the fear of punishment,” said Leach.
In DeSoto County the school district denied the AP records request, citing the family educational rights and the law About privacy.
“All bullying reports are treated with utmost importance,” statement by the press Secretary district Katherine Nelson said. “All claims are thoroughly investigated, and school counselors are trained to help students and to intervene when they are aware of the situation.”
But the policy of the district , written in 2010, not enough other “key components” contributes stopbullying.gov.
It focuses on how to Lodge complaints, but do not describe procedures for the investigation and response to, the introduction of the consequences, or making sure that victims have access to physical, psychological or legal assistance. Once the initial complaint is filed, all this requires school administrators to notify parents and “to organize such meetings as needed with all stakeholders”.
Expert bullying Michael Sulkowski said that makes the victim and the bully to meet can “add fuel to the fire.”
“The child who bullied is powerless, potentially frightened for his or her safety and, of course, their social status,” said Sulkowski. “It is not appropriate to expect that they will confront his or her bullies, even in the presence of the teacher or administrator.”
Sulkowski, who teaches psychology at the University of Arizona College of education, said that the model policy of consolidation effects. They teach in schools is still emotional support and to communicate with parents, to ensure that prosecutions do not follow the victim.
What is most striking about the case of Andy, he said, the apparent “lack of communication between adults”.
Andy’s parents said that they now understand more about the red flags — for example, when their son made excuses to avoid school. Leach says he’s been tracking the digital lives of Andy, but couldn’t see the posts that disappeared or were removed.
“He came to us about a lot of things,” Hudson told WREG .
After the death of Andy, Leach scattered writings and drawings depicting suicide, built months in notebooks Andy, but nothing indicates the limit. Hudson told the station “it turned out that he was going to participate in a fight after school,” but she declined to specify.
Other cases have led to criminal proceedings.
Two 12-year await prosecution on charges of cyberbullying 12-year-old classmate in Panama city beach, Florida, before she hung herself in January. Panama city news Herald reports that she was bullied in school and outside of school, and before she killed herself, one Respondent told her: “just do it” before ending the video chat.
The Mississippi law punishes bullying as a misdemeanor, up to six months in jail and $500 fine.
Republic Steve Hopkins, a Republican from Southaven, said the death of Andy “just broke my heart.” He said that his “law” Andy wanted to make convicted hooligans not difficult to take the “handcuffs counselors” and the establishment of a state lottery to Fund the prevention of bullying and mental health programs, among other things.
Was 44,193 suicides in 2015, only 409 children from 10 to 14. Centers for disease control and prevention survey , about one-third of high school students who identify themselves as lesbian, gay or bisexual say they have been bullied on campus and tried to kill myself last year, compared with 6 percent of heterosexual peers.
“We want to make sure that parents do not suffer from this due to lack of information and lack of coercive policy,” said Leach. “We should dig in, find out what’s going on and make some noise.”
Sourse: abcnews.go.com
