I normally don’t publish press releases but the preview for this 48 hours special brought tears to my eyes. Please share this with all the parents of tweens and teens that you know and please tune in on September 16th to learn more and potentially save your child’s life.
CBS NEWS PRESENTS A 48 HOURS SPECIAL ON BULLYING IN THE DIGITAL AGE
“BULLYING: WORDS CAN KILL,” TO BE BROADCAST ON FRIDAY, SEPT. 16 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT)
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As a new school year begins across the country, more than 160,000 children will stay home every day because they are afraid of being bullied. That is just one of the startling facts in the CBS News/ 48 HOURS presentation “Bullying: Words Can Kill.” Reported by correspondent Tracy Smith, the program airing Friday, Sept. 16 (8:00 PM, ET/PT) reveals how the explosion in technology is only making bullying worse, as victims cannot find relief from their tormentors in a 24/7 digital world. The report will have important new information for parents, educators and legislators about how bullying affects children and how to address it.
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For six months, producers and camera crews were allowed in-depth access to the classrooms, cafeteria and gym at a Rhode Island middle school that is one of the few in theUnited States that has openly acknowledged it has a bullying problem and has taken action to address it. The 48 HOURS special documents the real lives of students at that particular school, and has the powerful stories of other young people and their families from around the country who have felt the impact of bullying firsthand.One constantly harassed 13-year-old told Smith, “They got inside my head. They did it because they knew it would hurt.” His mother said dropping him off at school was like “sending him off to war.” Tragically, more than 150 children have taken their own lives in recent years because they were victims of harassment in school and online. Among those featured in the broadcast:
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Dara Genovese, 13, bullying victim: “If you have ever been bullied, harassed, tortured, which I hope you haven’t, let me tell you, it is the worst. I mean, worst feeling ever. You’re laying in bed and you’re just thinking, like… what would it be like if you’re not here? Like… would it be better? Or, like, would people be happier – or just – just you wonder, you think a lot of questions.”
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Johnny Cagno, victim of bullying who attempted suicide at age 14: “When you’re tortured every single day, it gets to you. I was very, very scared to go to school every day.”
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Lisa Cagno, Johnny’s mother: “He was hurting himself. He was cutting himself, and he would just (say), ‘I hate myself, I don’t want to live anymore. I hate my life. Nobody likes me, no one cares about me.’ And I just – I would just have to constantly just reassure him. I couldn’t get those feelings out of his head.”
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Cynthia Logan, a parent who lost her daughter because of bullying: “We have principals in our schools and superintendents who don’t want to acknowledge the problem. They don’t want it to be their problem. I did as much as I could do as a parent, knowing as little as I did.”
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This broadcast is produced by Deborah Grau and Judy Rybak. The senior producers are Kathleen O’Connell and Paul Ryan, and Al Briganti is the executive editor. Susan Zirinsky is the executive producer.
Thank you for this post. This needs to be seen and read. I was bulling my whole 4 years in HS and am still scarred for it. I know what these poor children are feeling and nothing is done… even when their teachers see it happens. Yes, they needs to be a way to help others who have no voice. Thank you again for you blog post. Hope it will help others.
– Beckie
http://syco4twilight.blogspot.com/
When I was in elementary school and middle school I was bullied and teased horribly. It was at the point that in the 5’th grade I was ready to either runaway or kill myself. The worst part of it was the teachers and guidance counslers knew about it but nothing was ever truly done. I’ll never forget when a teacher in the 6th grade actually told me it was my fault for being different from everyone else and that “boys will be boys”. To say that I lost all faith in teachers/guidance councilors would be putting it lightly. I’m glad that now at the age of 32 I’m well past that time and have dealt with the baggage I’ve carried because of it. People don’t realize just how bad it can be and how it can affect someone for their entire life. The worst thing is that those in authority often ignore it because “kids will be kids”. Sad truly sad.
OH I forgot to mention that just like the one kid whose mother was quoted I was a cutter too. I would cut myself because I just couldnt take all the pain on the inside and the only thing that made it better for even just a moment was when I hurt myself. I was in control of the pain….very hard to explain to people. Sort of like trying to explain anorexia or alcoholism you sort of have to experience it to truly understand it.