A gay 12-year-old died by suicide after relentless bullying. His mom says the school did nothing.

[Behind the Aegis]

The mother of a gay 12-year-old who died by suicide after relentless bullying at school is suing the school for failing to do anything about the bullying.

Tristan Peterson was a student at Woodruff Middle School in the Upper Deerfield School District in New Jersey before he died in December 2017.

He had come out at school earlier that year when he was still in elementary school, and his classmates’ reaction was vicious. According to the lawsuit, he was harassed and bullied repeatedly that year in both schools and officials at both schools knew about the bullying.

Marcy Peterson, Tristan’s mother, wrote in the complaint that she contacted the school at least four times that school year starting in September, but the school didn’t do anything to stop the harassment.


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Homophobia kills.

[milestogo]

1. ...

[DanieRains]

2. 20 Million Dollars

Pay up school.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

3. Schools, even good ones, often do very little about bullying.

My son was bullied. He wasn't gay or transgender, just incredibly smart and a bit autistic. In his case the autism protected him, because he was somewhat oblivious to the bullying. But in sixth grade (at the k-6 elementary school) no one would sit with him at lunch in the cafeteria, and he wound up having lunch with the school counselor.

We were lucky. The next year, in 7th grade, we were able to send him to a local independent (meaning private secular) school with a very strong academic presence. And in that school his being smart was an asset, not a liability.

Perhaps more to the point, his difference wasn't as profound as being gay. I cannot imagine how I could have protected my son if he'd been gay, not just smart and different. But here's the essential thing. The school did not protect this kid, the one in the OP. And they should have. It also says a lot about how the other kids were raised that they were comfortable in bullying this child.

[ansible]

5. Realistically there really isn't much you can do about it

Kids can be incredibly vicious when it comes to bullying, I experienced much of it too when I was younger.

[Aussie105]

4. Seen this myself as a teacher.

Teachers often turn a blind eye, 'just kids', 'get used to it, it's a hard world out there', etc.

Those teachers who do care often feel impotent, are not able to intervene when the bullying happens, or get no back up from the office chair warmers.

Unfortunately respect and tolerance to others who are different aren't taught to kids in a lot of homes and not in schools, either. Not officially, anyway.

It doesn't help, but a law suit may wake up the school so it doesn't happen to other kids.

[lindysalsagal]

6. And gender intolerance often comes from churches

Ok ok not always, but often enough.

And I no longer use "homophobia." It's not an irrational fear, like flying or germs. It's just plain hate.

[area51]

7. Damn it.