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Mom of teen charged with bullying student into suicide blames victim
NY Daily News ^ | 03/31/10 | Helen Kennedy

Posted on 03/31/2010 2:44:41 PM PDT by jerry557

The mother of one of the "Mean Girls" charged with bullying 15-year-old Phoebe Prince to death defended her daughter Tuesday, saying she never lifted a hand against the tormented girl but just "called her names."

Angeles Chanon admitted that her daughter, Sharon Chanon Velazquez, 16, had once been suspended from school for verbally abusing Phoebe - but blamed the bullied girl for starting it.

"(Sharon) exchanged a couple of words with her," Chanon told the Boston Herald. "Phoebe was calling her names. They're teenagers. They call names."

Chanon insisted her daughter never "physically assaulted" Phoebe, no matter what the District Attorney says.

"I know she knows better than that. I wouldn't accept that," she said.

Sharon was one of nine Massachusetts teenagers charged Monday with tormenting Phoebe "relentlessly" for three months, until the despairing recent immigrant from a small Ireland village hanged herself Jan. 14.

Sharon was charged with stalking and violation of civil rights resulting in bodily injury.

In Massachusetts, public anger was turning from the Mean Girls - so mean they left vicious comments on Phoebe's Facebook memorial page - to the teachers who repeatedly failed to protect Phoebe, but were not charged criminally.

District Attorney Elizabeth Scheibel said Phoebe's persecution was "common knowledge" at the school, and even witnessed by teachers, who said nothing.

Her mother had twice asked school officials to help put a stop to her daughter's misery, Schiebel said.

The day she killed herself, a teacher saw kids harassing Phoebe in the school library - but said nothing until after the suffering girl's body was found hanging in her home.

The district attorney called the failure of adults at the school to stop the harassment "troublesome," but not criminal.

"We sought the charges that we feel were most appropriate for these activities," Scheibel said.

(Excerpt) Read more at nydailynews.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events; US: Massachusetts
KEYWORDS: bullying; phoebeprince; suicide; teen
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To: Persevero

Be careful! You have offered an opinion that does not go with the flow and that can lead to severe mocking and flaming.

Next time just drink the Koolaid, ok?


41 posted on 03/31/2010 3:42:24 PM PDT by Eagle Eye (The last thing I want to do is hurt you, but it is still on my list.)
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To: GnuHere
Although it’s the bullies who should be punished, I don’t understand why this girl’s family or school didn’t remove her from this awful situation.

I agree. But I think that allowances must be made for the fact that they were recent immigrants. They could't have known that: the public school people wouldn't do anything; that bullies are protcted here; that homeschooling was a valid way to deal with it; and they may have been afraid to make waves while under immigrant status. For legal immigrants, the INS is very, very tough. One little slip up and you are denied a green card. I know this because I have a son-in-law who is applying. You wouldn't believe what they have to go through.

42 posted on 03/31/2010 3:42:34 PM PDT by Red Boots
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To: GregB

Isn’t it amazing that schools can teach students to believe everything democrats tell them, and that the world will end if they don’t recycle, but it can’t teach them to act like civilized human beings?


43 posted on 03/31/2010 3:45:52 PM PDT by stop_fascism
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To: GnuHere
It reminds me of incidents that happen in college dorms - if someone is not following the rules and making life miserable, the college’s solution is to offer to move the one who bothers to complain, rather than enforce the rules or move those who are breaking them.

It even works like this in prison. I had a cellmate that I completely could not stand to be for one more minute. I had requested to be moved to another cell and had been ignored. One day I walked up to control and told the guard in no uncertain terms that I was going out in the yard for a bit and if my cellmate was still there when I got back I was going to stomp him to paste. The hell with the consequences, I was not going to put up with him anymore. He was moved before I got back but I have no doubt that I would have beaten him to death if he had not moved.
44 posted on 03/31/2010 3:49:48 PM PDT by Bad Jack Bauer (Fat and Bald? I was BORN fat and bald, thank you very much!)
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To: jerry557
It is disgusting that the parent makes excuses for her thug daughter. I would also like to see school officials fired and make an example of.
45 posted on 03/31/2010 3:53:08 PM PDT by mrsixpack36
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To: jerry557

These bullies AND their parents need to be sterilized, then jailed.


46 posted on 03/31/2010 3:57:14 PM PDT by tbw2 (Freeper sci-fi - "Humanity's Edge" - on amazon.com)
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To: BlazingArizona

Yes, I know teachers can spot bullies. Victims can identify them, too.

But what if the teacher is hyper and accusing a kid who is not a bully. What if a bully accuses an innocent person of bullying?

Accusing people of bullying and punishing people for bullying can become bullying in and of itself.

I am not saying it should be ok to torment people. I am saying it is hard to define and enforce.


47 posted on 03/31/2010 4:00:36 PM PDT by Persevero (Ask yourself: "What does the Left want me to do?" Then go do the opposite.)
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To: mockingbyrd

Absolutely, persecuting for physical violence is a no-brainer.


48 posted on 03/31/2010 4:01:10 PM PDT by Persevero (Ask yourself: "What does the Left want me to do?" Then go do the opposite.)
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To: Selmore
I see this as the wussifying of America.

I was half tempted to agree with you at first because I recall my first experience with a bully when I was a kid (led to my very first fight but that's another story.

Today when I drive down the street and look at some of these kids getting out of school walking down the street, they're not bullies, these "kids" are straight animals and thugs.

It is sure a whole lot different then when I was their age. Back then you would get in a fight, wear each other out, help each other up and dust off, then become friends afterword.

Today they'll stomp your head in the ground mercilessly, I have to admit I have some mixed feelings on this one.

49 posted on 03/31/2010 4:01:53 PM PDT by Las Vegas Ron ("Because without America, there is no free world" - Canada Free Press - MSM, where are you?)
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To: Selmore

So a girl is tormented to a point that she feels suicide is the only way to end it, yet you think the bullies should only be “suspended.”

These bullies didnt even stop when she died! They went on her facebook memorial page and joked about the death and continued insulting her!
These bullies are monsters and need to be punished. And a hell of a lot more severe than a simple “suspension.” They should be kicked out of school and serve some time.

Wussification of America? What do you want the victim to do? She can’t fight back because the school would then punish her. Fighting is against the rules and good people dont break the rules, only the bad people do. Yet you want the good people to put up with this crap? Give me a break.


50 posted on 03/31/2010 4:08:19 PM PDT by jerry557
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To: GregB

Home schooling or not is a bogus argument. Somer Thompson’s(7 year old Florida girl) rapist murderer was home schooled and he saw fit to rape, murder, and throw a 7 year old girl in a landfill. The point is, there is no point re: home school or not home schooled.


51 posted on 03/31/2010 4:28:06 PM PDT by techrules2002
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To: Persevero

I did not see your later post before I hit send.

My apology.


52 posted on 03/31/2010 4:30:11 PM PDT by Notary Sojac (Mi Tio es infermo, pero la carretera es verde!)
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To: BlazingArizona
School boards are famous for expelling students for bringing an aspirin tablet to school - why are they so reluctant to expel bullies?

Well put, deserves a bump. Couldn't have said it better.

53 posted on 03/31/2010 4:33:18 PM PDT by Notary Sojac (Mi Tio es infermo, pero la carretera es verde!)
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To: J Edgar

This family will probably bring a civil case against the school administration. The names of the teachers and administrators who did nothing will become public. Who in the future will hire them when their names are publicized? This type of thing is a career killer, as it should be.

Isn’t it amazing that parents and students have to “own up” to responsibililty, but these public school slugs don’t have to?


54 posted on 03/31/2010 4:49:49 PM PDT by goldi (')
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To: Persevero

You are the parent of which sweet innocent little darling?


55 posted on 03/31/2010 5:01:04 PM PDT by chiefqc
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To: jerry557

i knew that the parents would stick up for their kids. That’s part of the problem! They don’t make their little darlings step and admit they were badly behaved.


56 posted on 03/31/2010 5:11:01 PM PDT by ronniesgal ( I miss George Bush. Hell, I miss Bill Clinton!!)
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To: Drew68

Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold were bullies and thugs by any definition. Eric harassed Brooks Brown to a point that the Brown family was scared. Yes, scared s***.

I actually remember reading an article that the “Trenchcoat Mafia” did not like Harris and Klebold, particularly Klebold because he was anger prone and extremely belligerent. I have to fish for that though because it has been a while.


57 posted on 03/31/2010 5:18:46 PM PDT by Ptarmigan (Remember The Great Ptarmigan/Rabbit War!)
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To: jerry557

Yes, the school is just to blame. I have heard that Gus Sayer has left and his contract is up for renewal in May.

When I read that article, I thought of this article:

Columbine: Parents Of a Killer
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/15/opinion/columbine-parents-of-a-killer.html?pagewanted=1

The Klebolds were interviewed and they clearly were in denial even 5 years later.


58 posted on 03/31/2010 5:20:23 PM PDT by Ptarmigan (Remember The Great Ptarmigan/Rabbit War!)
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To: chiefqc

“You are the parent of which sweet innocent little darling?”

I don’t think you are reading my posts.

I am not defending bullies.

I am saying it is a hard crime to define and prosecute when it is verbal only.


59 posted on 03/31/2010 5:22:59 PM PDT by Persevero (Ask yourself: "What does the Left want me to do?" Then go do the opposite.)
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To: stop_fascism

Bingo.


60 posted on 03/31/2010 5:26:57 PM PDT by secret garden (Why procrastinate when you can perendinate?)
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