"Go kill yourself"

[Anonymous]

What the HELL is with teenagers.

What is all this "you should just go kill yourself" crap. I know kids are mean, but I swear I dont recall this kind of statement being said when I went to high school.
And it seems with all of the anti-bullying awareness of teen suicide lately, this kind of comment should be going away.

My daughter is being tortured at school by a group of boys--and this is the message she's getting. I'm stunned.

She went to the counselor, who talked to the boys. But still, she gets texts and phone calls during school.

Not posting to get advice on this issue with her-we are dealing with it.

But posting more to ask, does anyone remember in high school previous generations of kids telling eachother to kill themselves? I just dont remember anything of the sort.

I find it so disturbing. Seriously I think there is something wrong with these kids. Like, emotionally they are disturbed.

Anyway, regardless of what is wrong with them, they need a serious ass kicking.

[Anonymous]

I graduated high school in 2004 and can remember kids saying it. Like saying that someone's life is so awful that they may as well kill themselves.

I hope things work out for your daughter and the school fixes the situation

[Anonymous]

First off, bullies have been around forever but never, growing up, did I ever hear a bully tell another child to "go kill yourself". Frankly, that's a pretty darned disturbing statement.

If these kids are tormenting your daughter via cell phone, maybe you could have their numbers blocked?

How old are these kids?

[Anonymous]

Its not only that they are saying these terrible things but it also sounds like a bullying campaign. Please do not stop with the counselor. Go to the principal and on to the school system if necessary. This is not something your daughter should take on -- its not her job to deal with it or stop it. The adults have to step in. This is really, really bad.

[Anonymous]

We're raising a generation of kids devoid (for the most part) of any orthodox religious teaching or belief in objective standards of right/wrong. We're outsourcing our parenting duties to nannies/daycares/camps/care givers. We allow them to be overexposed to a debased culture (violent video games, pornography, the Family Guy, etc). Did you really think that some namby-pamby "anti-bullying" PSA by the school counselor was going to have in impact, when they are immersed in a culture that tells them that adults are stupid/out of touch/not worthy of respect?

When you sow the wind, you reap the whirlwind. Get used to it. Things will only get worse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Its not only that they are saying these terrible things but it also sounds like a bullying campaign. Please do not stop with the counselor. Go to the principal and on to the school system if necessary. This is not something your daughter should take on -- its not her job to deal with it or stop it. The adults have to step in. This is really, really bad.

Please, listen to the post above. Don't worry about why this generation is so cruel -- that's philosophy for later; right now, today, you need to protect your kid and help her learn to protect herself. First and TODAY you have to block all calls and texts to her phone other than very specific ones from you and her real friends, and/or change her phone number and have her give it to no one. If they are bullying her via phone and text, they are also doing it during the school day in person and you need to have these creeps dealt with.

The counselor "talked with the boys"? So what. It did not stop the harassment. They need to have some form of real discipline enforced on them. Get the school's written anti-bullying policy, take it to the principal in person (no phone call, no e-mail, go sit on the doorstep and don't leave until you are seen in person) and say that if your daughter is harassed, or even spoken to by these kids, you will now involve the school board office and the police. Period. Mentioning the school board, the cops or attorneys scares the hell out of principals.

You can't sit back and let a few words from the counselor be the end of this -- clearly that was totally useless because the calls and texts continue.

By the way, I hope you do keep all these past texts and records of who called and texted her when, because those things are evidence you can use against these jerks. If your child is on Facebook or any other social media, KEEP every bullying post etc. as evidence. but don't sit back and let the school counselor be the end of this because clearly it's already not working!
Get busy. Today, not tomorrow.

[Anonymous]

Op said she was handling it. All she wanted to know if this talk was new because she didn't remember it in high school. I graduated 12 years ago and can remember a couple of kids who.said things like that. They were troubled kids from difficult backgrounds

[Anonymous]

No - I don't remember anyone talking like that back in the day. And I don't think that the vast majority of teens would ever say something like that to another kid - because it is a very disturbing thing to say.

[Anonymous]

I graduated from high school in 1994, and absolutely got told to go kill myself on a regular basis.

PS, I know OP, that you didn't ask for advice, but I can not help but wonder why your daughter has not gotten a new phone number, and then only given it to her very closest friends?

[Anonymous]

2nd the new phone number. The types of words and style of torment may have evolved but a bully is a bully. They are no worse than bullies of any generation.

Glad you are taking the step to address the issue with your daughter. How is she doing with all of this? Is she handling it ok? Ugh. High school can be so shitty.

Good luck.

[Anonymous]

I don't think it is new but there has been more awareness of suicide so it isn't surprising that it is more on kids minds as they are hearing more about it. Increased awareness can be used for good or for bad.

Also teens don't tend to really think about what death / dying really means. They take risks because they feel a bit invincible, they talk jokingly about killing themselves to get out of a math test tomorrow etc... it is also a bit of a figure of speech to them. Like go fuck yourself - they aren't being literal.

Glad you are on top of it and dealing with it.

[Anonymous]

I graduated a long time ago...20+ years and I certainly don't remember anyone saying that sort of crap when I was in school. However, I have a DD in high school now and she has said that kids can say stupid stuff like this. However, she also indicated that it's usually the loser kids who have nothing better to do than take their troubles out on others - she stays away from them.

Encourage your DD to look elsewhere for friends, get new a new number and don't let the counselor/school get away with a simple "little talk". Kids are desensitized these days for a variety of reasons and we, as a society, need to remind them of the right way to handle themselves. Your first priority, though, is your DD and her handling of the situation. Sounds like you're on top of it. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

New phone number. And part of me wants to suggest swift kicks to the offenders' junk.

[Anonymous]

I graduated high school in 1996 and I remember bullies telling other kids to go kill themselves. It wasn't a very common occurrence but I definitely heard it.

[Anonymous]

If you are in MCPS, file the bullying form. (I'm sure other districts have one too.) The counselor and principal must take this seriously and take action. A "talk" is not sufficient.

Also agree -- new phone number. Although it won't take long for it to get out unless she's careful to give only to close friends.