South Hadley High School

Paladine

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How about a thread focused on the High School? The principal, Dan Smith, teachers, bullying and policy, the building layout (library, cafeteria), response to Phoebe's bullying (or lack thereof)...are a few possibilities, that come to mind.
 
To get things started...

"School shocked by a suicide drafts tough policy on bullies"
By Peter Schworm
Globe Staff / April 28, 2010

South Hadley schools have drafted a new antibullying policy that requires all staff members to report “any bullying they see or learn about’’ and pledges to “promptly and reasonably’’ investigate any allegation of harassment.

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The draft policy defines bullying as acts that cause physical or emotional harm, place students “in reasonable fear of harm,’’ or create an “unwelcoming or hostile environment at school for another person.’’

A task force formed after 15-year-old Phoebe Prince hanged herself in January. The panel crafted the policy and discussed it at its most recent meeting Monday. The 31-member group plans to complete the policy in the coming weeks.
http://www.boston.com/news/educatio...ley_schools_draft_strict_antibullying_policy/
 
"Social worker slams South Hadley bully task force"
A member of a South Hadley anti-bullying task force is quitting the group in disgust, saying a new harassment policy crafted in the wake of the suicide of 15-year-old Phoebe Prince was done carelessly.

Eleanor Small, a licensed social worker on its mental health sub-committee, said task force meetings have been “done in short order” and dominated by people with no expertise in the field.

“There are so many people just trying to hear themselves talk,” said Small, a South Hadley High School graduate. “It’s not done by people who have the professional expertise to handle such a critical issue.
http://news.bostonherald.com/news/re...ly_task_force/
 
FYI: I have also posted these links on the media thread for easier retreval...this piece is 4 pages long and an amazing read, thus I quoted a larger portion.

Reporter goes to South Hadley...

"Fear and loathing in South Hadley over Phoebe Prince suicide"
And suddenly, as I glanced to my right, a dark cloud suddenly draped over my brief notions of South Hadley.

There it was; the school that an Irish girl, just like me, but half my age, was bullied relentlessly before she took her own life on January 14.

I pulled slowly into the school car park. It was early morning and the only sign of life was coming from the football field.

South Hadley High School where Phoebe Prince spent the final hours of her life being called horrific names such as “Irish *advertiser censored*” and “*advertiser censored*” was on spring recess but activities on the football pitch brought life to the place


As I sat there for a few minutes trying to imagine what went on through those walls that caused Phoebe to hang herself, I became almost nauseated. I was lost in my emotions, anger, upset and confusion. The sound of car doors closing and engines roaring to my right caught my attention.

A group of girls, no more than 16 or 17 had finished up what appeared to be hockey practice and were going their separate ways, in top of the range SUVs. I felt slightly intimated by their confidence, their big cars and loud personalities.

After the crowd thinned out I approached two young women. Albeit friendly, when I told them who I was and what I wanted (their opinions on what happened to Phoebe) they cut me off and said, “We’ve been told not to talk to any media,” said a taller girl, although not divulging who told her to remain mum.

I’d hit a dead end before I started.

I crawled back out onto the main road and was in front of Phoebe’s home, the home she shared with her family after moving from Ireland last September within minutes.

The house, brightly painted white with elegant purple shutters, is also on Newton Street. It’s a few hundred yards from the high school.
http://www.irishcentral.com/news/Fea...-92277694.html
 
Perhaps they're trying to find out which parents are outspoken on this issue and have them dealt with by the authorities. It's a trap.

This wasn't televised? At least I couldn't find a link for it :(
 
Video at link...would someone else please post this on the media thread...?I'm short on time...

"Parents upset with anti-bullying policy
Question if administration will enforce new rules"
Eleanor Small told 22News that she volunteered to be part of South Hadley’s newly formed Anti-Bullying Task Force. Small says after only four meetings, she quit because, in her opinion, the committee seemed more interested in talking about how to handle the meetings, than drawing on her expertise as a licensed social worker.

“I think I could have come up with some very good ideas that would have been helpful, but you know, you could never get the floor. [There were] too many people, not enough time -- all these things made me feel too discouraged,” she said.

Barrie Chambers-Leonard is the mother of a South Hadley Senior. She said, “I don't believe for one second that South Hadley is going to actually ever going to follow any type of policy. They have policies in place right now and they don't follow them as it is.”

Luke Gelinas told 22News, “I'm completely disappointed in it. They've had over four months, it's incomplete at best, there are only 4 1/2 pages there.”
http://www.wwlp.com/dpp/news/local/s-hadley-talks-anti-bullying-policy
 

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