South Hadley,MA Phoebe Prince 15 kills self over bullying

[Paladine]

Washington Post! "Documents: Bullied teen sought help from school"

"The documents, filed in connection with charges against six South Hadley High School students, raise new questions about how much school officials knew about the bullying. They also provide a glimpse into the final, tortured hours of Prince's life shortly before the 15-year-old hanged herself at home Jan. 14.

On Jan. 7, according to the documents, Prince went to a school administrator after learning that one of the defendants, Flannery Mullins, had told fellow students that she was going to "beat Phoebe up" and that she "needed to watch out at break after second block."

The documents do not reveal the official to whom Prince spoke or provide details of the conversation.

A witness who was interviewed by investigators said Prince had gone to administrators because she was "scared and wanted to go home." After the meeting, the witness said Prince returned to class, and said that no action was going to be taken and that "she was still going to get beat up."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/09/AR2010040902576.html
Wonder what Gus Sayer thinks of THAT! Everyone knows he lied. Phoebe did NOT "keep it to herself"! She asked for help...no one answered.

 

[Paladine]

Poor Phoebe. I was thinking about what it would have been like for her. For her, it likely appeared, this was just how schools in America are. She had nothing else to compare it to in America. Most of this behavior was allowed and not punished. From early on, they were yelling names at her. In hallways. In the library. In the cafeteria. And no one did anything. No one stepped up and said THAT'S NOT acceptable. I have not read one report, other than the 1 day suspension, of consequences. It likely felt like it WAS acceptable, to Phoebe. I've read in Slate's piece about the culture of bullying at that school. It sounds rampant.

IMO

 

[Paladine]

Are these kids still attending school? Or are they home now?

Not sure on specific kids. I have read in media reports some were "removed". I have read rumor some went to different schools...very little info on that.

 

[Paladine]

Love international press...here's Australia...
"Bullied girl pleaded for school help before killing herself"

PHOEBE Prince, 15, desperate in the face of relentless bullying, turned to school administrators for help. She was rebuffed and a week later hanged herself in a stairwell.

A Massachusetts court was told this week how Phoebe was sent back to class, where she told a witness that school officials would not intervene and that ''she was still going to get beat up''.

The stunning disclosure, that the Irish schoolgirl herself notified administrators at South Hadley High School about the bullying was made public for the first time in court documents filed as three of her former schoolmates pleaded not guilty to charges that they tormented Phoebe for months."

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/wor...elp-before-killing-herself-20100409-ryqu.html

 

[Paladine]

Just a thought. Would this story ever make a good movie...it has it all, except an happy ending...imo. Wonder if that is being considered...after the court cases, of course.

 

[WaddupYo]

Colin Keefe, Sharon's lawyer deserves to get his face punched out.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/09/us/09bully.html

“When all the details become known, I am certain that my client will be cleared of these charges,” Colin Keefe, a lawyer for Ms. Velazquez, said Thursday in a statement.

 

[Paladine]

AP headline..."U.S. teen reported bullying to school before suicide"

I think it's getting hot for Smith and Sayer!

"A witness who was interviewed by investigators said Prince had gone to administrators because she was ``scared and wanted to go home.'' After the meeting, the witness said Prince returned to class, and said that no action was going to be taken and that ``she was still going to get beat up.''

In a recent interview, Superintendent Gus Sayer said school administrators were not aware of the bullying until Jan. 7, a week before Prince committed suicide. On that day, two teachers reported separate bullying incidents to the principal, Sayer said.

In one incident, a student walked into Prince's classroom and yelled at her. In the other, a teacher overheard several students in the cafeteria making remarks about Prince ``that appeared to be threatening.''

``Even though they weren't made to her directly, he reported that to the principal,'' Sayer said.

The principal ``took immediately disciplinary action against both students,'' Sayer said. He would not say what kind of action was taken, citing school privacy rules.

That's not what O'Brien said. O'Brien said only 1 student was suspended for 1 day...another lie? What was the "disciplinary action" taken? http://thechronicleherald.ca/World/9015999.html

 

[Paladine]

CBS headline...same AP story...

NORTHAMPTON, Mass., April 9, 2010
Bullied Teen Phoebe Prince Sought School's Help
High School Freshman Spoke to School Administrator about Classmate's Alleged Physical Threats, Court Docs Show

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/04/09/national/main6379633.shtml

 

[Paladine]

Colin Keefe, Sharon's lawyer deserves to get his face punched out.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/09/us/09bully.html

“When all the details become known, I am certain that my client will be cleared of these charges,” Colin Keefe, a lawyer for Ms. Velazquez, said Thursday in a statement.

from your link...

"They also describe evidence suggesting that some teachers and administrators had known for weeks about the harassment but failed to stop it, a contention that school officials have disputed.

So many saw what Sharon did, he would be better off taking a more contrite position, imo. Maybe, that she's regretful and sorry but didn't realize the power of her words.

Don't be too upset, waddup...looks like she has an attorney with little sense of what the public will swallow. It'll hurt her in the end...imo.

 

[Paladine]

run4chocolate has the Dr. Phil link...
http://run4chocolate.wordpress.com/2010/04/09/dr-phil-on-south-hadley-and-bullying/

 

[Paladine]

sending out a message to the mod in the sky ...we're on page 43...should we start a new thread soon? Not sure how high we go, lately...

 

[thebear14]

Thanks for the photo, I hadn't seen it. She looks even more beautiful. Looks like a formal of some sort, to me. I've read she did have fb, and foamspring, although I can't find either, not for lack of effort. I read rumor foamspring was where she was attacked, as well.

I agree with other posters, she was likely centered out early on, she was very pretty, with a beautiful Irish accent, I'd bet jealousy reared it's ugly head quite early...imo, no one wants to hang or get close to a "target"...although, I do feel that there's a posibilty Phoebe may have had a couple of true friends in SHHS, so I do want to leave room for that...out of respect for them.

Yes, she does look so beautiful in that picture. and so happy too. It's very sad.

I hadn't read that she had a formspring. I assumed she had a facebook but most of the stuff I've seen suggests that she was being attacked on others pages. Of course you've been following this for longer than I have

I'm sure that if she did have these sites and they were taken down for evidence, that some of the comments made will eventually become public through court proceedings.

I agree that she likely did have at least a couple close friends - I'm just not sure the people I've seen that claim to be her friends really are.

I agree. I posted such earlier in the thread. She was sexually harrassed at school. It is disgusting. Sexually shaming a child...that goes DEEP. And it's very hard to share with Parents...IMO

I totally agree with the sexual shaming and harassment. Pure evil. From what I can tell, whatever she did with the boys, she wasn't out there flaunting it and likely wasn't happy about the whole school hearing rumors about what did or didn't happen. I think back to being a 14-15 year old girl in high school and how I would feel if word got out that I messed around with this guy or that guy, true or not. Being that age is difficult enough but then to have all this happen - you really can see how she and others who have been through similar situations and committed suicide really feel so completely alone and like there's no way out of that hell.

 

[Paladine]

another run4chocolate blog post...much more at link...

"Unable to further harass the dead girl, Phoebe Prince, the town’s finest now go after the media for reporting on their bad behavior. Wonder how many of these lunkheads complained to Ashley Longe about the can throwing?

South Hadley Hates New England Cable News facebook site.

Take a good look at the members. Friends of the charged bullies who not only do not get the hint but refuse to get a clue about unacceptable behavior. Some appear to be charter members of the former We Murdered Phoebe Prince group.

http://run4chocolate.wordpress.com/2010/04/08/pathetic/

 

[Paladine]

Sauerkraut's foamspring...got a question? You can ask! I have many...I'm going to ask where she was found! Outside or inside...and get THAT monkey off my back. ETA: I asked. Now, I wait.
http://www.formspring.me/IamSauerkraut

 

[Boytwnmom]

Berkshires and I almost fell over when I saw they were saying he was her father.
He isn't!!!! South Hadley is in the Pioneer Valley and we're in the Berkshires in far western MA.

I hope someone posts the obit, so they'll get off that Guy's back...

 

[Laurence]

Just a thought. Would this story ever make a good movie...it has it all, except an happy ending...imo. Wonder if that is being considered...after the court cases, of course.

This will be made into at LEAST one movie. Lord knows if they'll get any facts right, but the interest level is just too high. I would be surprised if one or more cable channels don't already have long range plans.

 

[Paladine]

Berkshires and I almost fell over when I saw they were saying he was her father.
He isn't!!!! South Hadley is in the Pioneer Valley and we're in the Berkshires in far western MA.

Thanks for confirming that.

Lol...that must of hit close to home, seeing a neighbor wrongfully thrown into a case on the net ...we do need to be careful...

 

[Paladine]

There is no technological limit on thread length, it's up to the participants. Typically if there is a major shift in direction that warrants a new title we start a new one, but there's nothing wrong per se with just going on.

Just don't start a new one when people are busy posting - wait until it's quiet.

Thanks, . I'm good with going on...there is no major change in direction. NOW...maybe we could save the new thread for when the school officials are finally held to task.

 

[daisy7]

Just started a new thread:

[ame="http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?p=5035614#post5035614"]South Hadley,MA Phoebe Prince 15 kills self over bullying #2 - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community[/ame]


I'm gonna close this one in a few minutes.