Mom: MySpace Hoax Led to Daughter's Suicide

[deb1]

One would need to know the state statutes, but I know calling someone fat or a slut is not harassment by the legal definition of the word (in my state anyway).

I think, but I am uncertain, that harrasment depends on how persistant you are in these words. If I stand in my yard and call you horrible names loudly enough every day for you to hear, I think that you could call the cops to me and get me for harassment.

TG there are laws to protect people from the lynch mob! My goodness!

Lynch mob? You have a strange definition of lynch mob.

Yes, I thought at first that she should be tried for murder. I know now that is wrong. She should be tried for harrasment or sued in civil court.

Everyone has asked for LEGAL means to punish this woman.

No one is suggesting that we go to her home and string her up. That is the definition of a lynch mob, when a group takes the law into their own hands.

No one has come close to suggesting that we take her punishement into our own hands.

 

[deb1]

I’m not equating the acts of a grown adult parent with those of children. If the mother in question has the mental level of a 12 or 13-year-old, perhaps she is an unfit parent.

Legally our courts see the actions of adults as being different then children. This makes sense as our brains continue to develop in adolescence. So, I can’t compare the comments of teenagers with that of a grown woman.

 

[Sir_Knight]

No. The principal is the primary. At least in most states.

Teachers, TA’s, and volunteers are responsible to a far lesser extent, but are obligated to report persistent problems to the principal, especially if they are school-wide.

And if you have consistent repeaters, and constant problems with it, the principal is liable, personally and legally, if not morally, for all of the school, acting in loco parentis.

I see it as a chain of command – volunteers report the problem to the teachers … everyone doesn’t run to the principal.

 

[Aramis]

I see it as a chain of command – volunteers report the problem to the teachers … everyone doesn’t run to the principal.

legally, everyone in a school (in most states) is legally under the direct “command” of the principal.

Typically the Chain of Command is something like this:
School Board
Superintendent
Assistant Superintendent of (Elementary/Intermeditate/Middle/High schools)
Individual Principals
all staff, volunteers, and instructors in the school.
Students

based upon course materials in my MAED program, this is true in other states besides Alaska and Washington (for which I’ve seen diagrams from several different districts indicating this as such.

 

[ronnette]

One life ended in death and others are now shattered because of this. I hope the people responsible for this will be prosecuted for murder.

My feelings exactly.

 

[ronnette]

P.S. Please pray for me, because this story has left me feeling and thinking mortally sinful thoughts of rage and hatred toward the subhuman piece of **** otherwise known as Lori Drew.

 

[deb1]

P.S. Please pray for me, because this story has left me feeling and thinking mortally sinful thoughts of rage and hatred toward the subhuman piece of **** otherwise known as Lori Drew.

I Understand your anger because when I first read this story I felt it also. It especially angered me that Lori Drew was a mom like me. I feel protective toward all children and couldn’t imagine hurting another child.

I have found that when I am angry that it helps to pray for the person that I am angry for. Let’s face it. Mrs. Drew is a messed up individual who needs prayers. Also pray for her daughter that she both understands how wrong her mother’s actions were and that she doesn’t justify her mom’s behavior. You might want to pray that the daughter isn’t subjected to the Mrs. Drew’s anger either. I can’t imagine that having a woman like this for a mom would be easy.

 

[Delphinus85]

So sad and so many issues here. The teenage years are hard enough for kids; harder still when you mix in parents who revert to childish behavior to control their kids’ lives.

On another note, am I old-fashioned for thinking that 13 is too young to be chatting with unknown “cute boys” on the internet?

Nah it’s not too young, but parents need to pay attention to what kids are doing online. I have a myspace, and if my kids want one, I better be on their buddy list LOL. ALso I will only have trillian on my computer so I can keep chat logs. That’s the condition for internet use. I may never look at them, but at least it keeps them accountable. And my husband is a tech guy so if they disable anything, we’ll know about it!

On this topic though, I do hope that woman faces justice. Adults know better, and adults are more able to take advantage of young kids. It’s why sex (even consentual) with a minor is ALWAYS rape. Besides, she was a 40 year old woman pretending to be a 15 year old boy to be in a fake relationship with the girl. Can’t this be illegal? She also caused emotional distress for the girl AND the family, aren’t there laws for that? If not, I hope laws are created and this woman is tried and convicted. It’s one thing if another kids was doing this, it’s something entirely different that it’s an adult. yeesh.

 

[Delphinus85]

And, again, isn’t that the responsibility of the teacher?

My primary concern is not so much name-calling but the PHYSICAL safety of the children. Just this past week four boys grabbed a fifth boy by the arms and legs and were about to throw him down a hill … I stopped them in mid-swing.

A few weeks ago I noticed an adult talking through the fence to a small child who was keeping her distance. When I approached, the man quickly ran off. When I asked the little girl what the man was saying to her, she informed me that he asked her if she wanted to play with a puppy and for her to come around the fence and he would take her to his car where the puppy was. By the time I hopped the fence and went around the corner, the car was already a few blocks down the street and quickly disappeared from sight.

Maybe it’s me but with limited resources, in my mind, these sort of things take priority over name-calling.

The sad thing is though, the saying “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me” is the biggest fallacy in the world. Especially in middle school and high school. I was called fat and ugly all the time, and then when my dad did it, I spend 2 years eating about a slice of bread a day and running varsity track. My health has never really recovered.

Also, I have been following this thread, and I’d like to point to a comment earlier, that if it’s kids picking on kids, they don’t know any better. That’s why adults need to discipline these kids! Adults know how bad words hurt. Adults KNOW BETTER just like she did. She needs to face justice for this.

And yes, these issues need to be taken care of. It’s a scary world out there! But we can’t be “either or” it needs to be both. It’s possible!

Although it would be helpful if parent’s weren’t afraid to discipline their kids.