toxic rumor child wants to leave

[Anonymous]

A high school former friend retaliated against DS by spreading a rumor about him. It spread far and wide and had a huge impact on the end of his hs experience. He went to college hoping to leave the rumor behind but it has followed him. He is devastated and wants to come home. I'm trying to plug him into help on campus. Has anyone been through this? Did your child stick it out? How did it turn out? I'm so sad and angry.

[Anonymous]

Definitely steer him to the school's counselling center.

If that is backed up, then try for online counselling.

I am sorry that he is having to deal with this!

[Anonymous]

That’s so sad. Absolutely get him to the college counselors. If necessary, let him come home and apply somewhere else. Is the college near your home?

[Anonymous]

That’s awful.

[Anonymous]

How big is the college?

[Anonymous]

Let him change his name and transfer college.

[Anonymous]

If he is psychological able to, he should stay. Looks like anywhere else he goes, the rumor will follow him. His conduct going forward could make people doubt the rumor.

[Anonymous]

and yes to therapy. He is likely still suffering from his high school trama

[Anonymous]

Agree with the counseling, and also it seems that if it's spread "far and wide" leaving that particular college wouldn't fix the situation, so all the more reason for kid to stay and deal with it there.

[Anonymous]

He should hold his head up high and continue his life. I was the object of a rumor at work, and I was nice to everyone, pretended I didn't know that people were talking about me, and eventually it died down. It's all about appearances! People believe what's in front of their eyes. If your son seems to be a upstanding citizen and is uniformly pleasant and reliable, then people will not believe the rumor.

If there's anything in writing, he can also sue for libel.

[Anonymous]

This happened to a kid I knew - the rumor was that he has hiv. It was a different time and circumstances were such that people believed it, and it spread so far and wide it was insane.

[Anonymous]

OP, how did your DS find out that the rumor had followed him to campus?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, how did your DS find out that the rumor had followed him to campus?

It is a pretty small campus and people have told him and are avoiding him because of it.

[Anonymous]

Can he go to the counseling center to get help?

It sounds like he needs to pick a college that no one from his high school attends, or an extremely large college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can he go to the counseling center to get help?

It sounds like he needs to pick a college that no one from his high school attends, or an extremely large college.

+1