Unfortunately, I must interrupt my usual lighthearted fare with something that has been weighing heavily on my heart since I heard it on the Today show this morning while getting ready for work.
This beautiful girl is 15 year-old Phoebe Prince. After months of being tormented and bullied by a group of real life "Mean Girls", Phoebe committed suicide on January 14th. Even in death, this beautiful girl could not escape the wrath of this young group of teenage women, who left nasty, hate-filled posts on a Facebook memorial page created in Phoebe's honor. The bullies have now been criminally charged. One of the mothers of the accused is now telling the media that Phoebe brought this all upon herself. According to the Massachussetts District Attorney pursuing the case, teachers at the school where both Phoebe and the "Mean Girls" were students knew about the bullying but turned a blind eye.
Within a half hour of the segment on Phoebe, the Today show ran a segment on teens who have undergone plastic surgery to avoid the teasing taunts of fellow students. The segment can be seen here.
I thought long and hard about this the entire day, filled with so many emotions. Grief, for the loss of a beautiful young life that was obviously filled with such pain and sorrow in the last several months of her time here on Earth. Sadness, for these teens who are called terrible things until they feel they need to resort to plastic surgery. Anger, at the bullies of the world, who take on many different forms but all spread the same message of hate. And finally, frustration, as to how we stop this terrible problem that seems to have been around forever but has reached epic proportions in the past few years.
I looked in the rearview mirror this morning at my beautiful little toddler, and sent up a silent prayer that she never face the wrath of a bully. I know I can't protect her forever, but stories like those I heard this morning just make me want to wrap her up in my arms to shield her from any hurtful, disparaging taunt she may receive in life. Realistic? Of course not, but stuff like this really brings out the "mama bear" in me...
29 comments:
I hadn't heard about that. How sad. What a beautiful young girl, that is so horrible! I always wonder where the parents are of these bullies, who teaches their children that it's okay to act that way? It's a sad world we live in.
I heard about her too. It happened to a boy at my old high school about a month before Phoebe's death - and when I was reading about that I got linked to about 20 more articles about kids across the country who it happened to as well. It's so sad, frustrating, and heartbreaking. I hope something can be done to help these kids out. I mean, kids have always been mean to other kids, but this is taking it too far.
So so sad. Thanks for letting me know about this, hadn't seen the show. Prayers for all of those families, and hopes too, that my daughters don't deal with bullies either.
Did you hear about the one last year, where a young girl committed suicide because her boyfriend through facebook dumped her...only to find out that the facebook page of the "boy" was actually one of her schoolmate's mean mothers! What a great example. Just terrible. I'm not sure if they ended up charging her or not.
Oh this is heart-wrenching. I too have thought often about what I would do if someone tried to bully one of my children. The term "Mama Bear" is exactly right.... you better look out if you mess with one of my bear cubs! It's tragic that stuff like this happens.
Sometimes I wonder what kind of abuse and neglect the bullies themselves have gone through to make them so callous and mean at such a young age. Did they learn that behavior and disrespect from their own parents?
What a great post to remind all us moms to always nurture our children's developing minds and tell them they are beautiful and loved unconditionally EVERY.DAY.
I know, isn't this story heartbreaking and infuriating all at the same time!
I feel the same way. I caught the story on msn. What is the world coming to. What a shame. Heartbreaking.
Such a heart-braking story. I'm constantly thinking of how to keep teaching my children to value and love themselves. Something like this is a parent's worst nightmare!
I heard about that story too! so sad. I was bullied once - maybe in the 5th grade. Just once! and I still remember it till this day!
Absolutely devastating! It's so sad to see young girls putting others down just to make them feel better about themselves. I think everyone, including me, should really try hard not to judge others. You don't realize the effect it has on people. Thanks for the reminder this morning.
Oh Sara, this has been on my mind for a while now. I was endlessly bullied in school and no one did anything about it. Nothing like this girl endured, but there was no internet back then.
I think mothers need to unite and figure out a way to end this bullying. I can't even imagine this happening to one of my daughters.
Thanks for blogging about this Sara. What an awful story, I cannot believe how cruel some young people can be. So sad. Thanks for sharing.
Oh Sara! This just makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up! It's just awful! I think of our girls and hope they are never faced with this. Talk about "mama bear"...I don't even know how I would react! It's not something you want to think about, but it is reality...unfortunately!
isnt it just crazy...u have nothing to stress about though, with such dedicated parents, Alexandra will never doubt that she is loved and blessed beyond measure.....and yes, you have some toddler logic looming that is a very formidable opponent, and it catches you totally off guard!!!
This is just the saddest story. My heart breaks for that poor girl, for what she endured and for what her family is now enduring. I can't believe a school could turn a blind eye to this. And what on earth went wrong with the kids who bullied her? What causes kids to act so cruelly? This seems like a growing problem that schools and parents should be paying attention to.
Hearing about kids who are bullied breaks my heart. It's hard to know what you can do about it as a parent. My heart goes out to these poor kids who have no self esteem and believe their life is worth nothing.
I heard about this but I didn't know all the details. This is something these girls will have to live with for the rest of their lives--I can only imagine their pain when they are old enough (or mature enough) to completely understand what they have done.
What a tragic and senseless loss!
I didn't hear this particular story but this problem is out of control. I'll let you share the bubble I'm going to get for Colin!
I too am heartbroken over this senseless cruelty. I saw Sweet Southern Prep's comment and hated hearing that story last year, when the "mean boy" ended up being one of the girl's mothers. Absolutely horrific...I hope something can be done to put a stop to it.
Sara, I have been feeling the same way. I read about this yesterday and it weighed heavy on my mind. I thought about Phoebe again this morning. I am so glad to hear that these students are being prosecuted and shame on those parents for placing blame on that poor girl, God rest her soul. I, too, pray that my children are never victims of bullies. And now, with cyberbullying, it's just so very scary. Prayers to her family.
So very sad....girls need to learn to be there for each other, not hurt each other. How tragic.
I have a 9 yr old daughter (my only child) and I can't bear the thought of her having to deal with anything like this. I don't care how unrealistic it sounds, if I so much as hear a hint of her getting bullied I'd probably pull her straight out of school and homeschool her! It's so sad that this kind of stuff goes on every day at schools all over the globe :(
Aaaggh...I saw this yesterday on the local evening news. Made me cry; I just felt so bad for everyone. Bullying truly has reached epic proportions. I felt really torn between wanting these kids to get the book thrown at them and then simultaneously wondering if ruining 8 other lives was the best way to fix this whole problem. THoughts? Thanks for posting sis.
I hadn't heard about this. It is so sad.
This is beyond words. What kind of monster leaves hateful messages on a memorial page. And, not that it really matters, but she was lovely. As a mother to two young girls myself, I am simply speechless. And, so very sad.
I have such a hard time with stories like that. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could protect our children always?
I just pray like crazy ever day-that has to count, right?
How awful, and what kind of person writes nasty things on a memorial page. I just don't understand it.
it so awful that things like this go on. It makes me ill to think that kids/people can be so cruel. It is so important we teach our little ones~ and it sure makes you want to hold onto them forever! thanks for sharing
So sad I saw this story a few weeks ago, I wish someone could just shake teenagers and explain to them there is so much more to life than mean girls!!!
I find this story heart wrenching, first as a human...I don't know how anyone can treat someone so bad and as a mother...I will raise my children to never find "being mean" behavior that is acceptable...to give or to receive.
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