I am the mother of a bright, intelligent, seventeen year old teenage son. It seemed to be the reason that he was bullied so severely in his school Districts. The school was the Bully in his case. The school bullied him because they allowed the students and some of the Administrators, Teachers, and Staff to Bully him as well. He has been bullied for the past 9-years at the various schools that he attended. He was beaten by students to the point he suffered contusions in his eye, back, shoulder, and feet from elementary, through high school. Even though these beatings, name callings, just plain intentional Bullying were performed in the front of Teachers, and Staff nothing was done. He was simply moved to another school, with damaging notes from other teachers following him. They tried to make my son a 'self fulfilling prophesy' of negative behavior, they wanted him to feel hopeless, and give up. That was why they allowed the bullying and abuse. He alone was blamed for these incidents. Most of the students who bullied him were Administrators and Teachers children. He has spent a great deal of time in the Emergency Room as a result. Teachers, and Administrators would ask me one question, "Why Is He So Smart?" as if my son who asked them questions, and loved Education was a problem for them. Some of the teachers have hit him, Yelled at him, would humiliate him in front of peers, and at one point a Principal followed him home on the school bus yelling at him all the way. By the time my Elementary aged child arrived home, he was so afraid, that he had to be taken to the hospital. I fought by filing complaints with the Superintendent, Education Agency, and Civil Rights Department, but nothing was none to stop the Bullying or Educate my son in a Safe School. I tried to keep him in school, but it was unsafe. The day he came home, once again sad, rejected, hurt, and stated, "mom I can't take it any more, I am just going to be what they want me to be a thug, cursing, fighting, and whatever they want," was the day I brought him home. He was fifteen years old. He is now in Home School and about to acquire his GED, because I will not trust the school system with his life, or education anymore. He has been Flying Airplanes since I took him out of the public school system at age 15! He builds robots, computers, legos bionicles, Welds, and plays Chess. The School was the Bully in our case, and in many of these cases across the country. As parents we must confront the Administrators, Teachers, and Staff who allow our children to be Bullied, and who bully our children themselves. They place all type of bias information in their records, and they send each other notes that cannot be tracked to further subjugate particular children, and isolate them from the other students. Causing children to have low self esteem, and other problems in their lives. I would like to create a project in our city, in other to confront these types of issues, and would welcome help from the outstanding Bully Project.

Ms. Hattie McGill Mother of Perry McGill

I am the mother of a bright, intelligent, seventeen year old teenage son. It seemed to be the reason that he was bullied so severely in his school Districts. The school was the Bully in his case. The school bullied him because they allowed the students and some of the Administrators, Teachers, and Staff to Bully him as well. He has been bullied for the past 9-years at the various schools that he attended. He was beaten by students to the point he suffered contusions in his eye, back, shoulder, and feet from elementary, through high school. Even though these beatings, name callings, just plain intentional Bullying were performed in the front of Teachers, and Staff nothing was done. He was simply moved to another school, with damaging notes from other teachers following him. They tried to make my son a 'self fulfilling prophesy' of negative behavior, they wanted him to feel hopeless, and give up. That was why they allowed the bullying and abuse. He alone was blamed for these incidents. Most of the students who bullied him were Administrators and Teachers children. He has spent a great deal of time in the Emergency Room as a result. Teachers, and Administrators would ask me one question, "Why Is He So Smart?" as if my son who asked them questions, and loved Education was a problem for them. Some of the teachers have hit him, Yelled at him, would humiliate him in front of peers, and at one point a Principal followed him home on the school bus yelling at him all the way. By the time my Elementary aged child arrived home, he was so afraid, that he had to be taken to the hospital. I fought by filing complaints with the Superintendent, Education Agency, and Civil Rights Department, but nothing was none to stop the Bullying or Educate my son in a Safe School. I tried to keep him in school, but it was unsafe. The day he came home, once again sad, rejected, hurt, and stated, "mom I can't take it any more, I am just going to be what they want me to be a thug, cursing, fighting, and whatever they want," was the day I brought him home. He was fifteen years old. He is now in Home School and about to acquire his GED, because I will not trust the school system with his life, or education anymore. He has been Flying Airplanes since I took him out of the public school system at age 15! He builds robots, computers, legos bionicles, Welds, and plays Chess. The School was the Bully in our case, and in many of these cases across the country. As parents we must confront the Administrators, Teachers, and Staff who allow our children to be Bullied, and who bully our children themselves. They place all type of bias information in their records, and they send each other notes that cannot be tracked to further subjugate particular children, and isolate them from the other students. Causing children to have low self esteem, and other problems in their lives. I would like to create a project in our city, in other to confront these types of issues, and would welcome help from the outstanding Bully Project.

Ms. Hattie McGill Mother of Perry McGill

One thing I need to explain, is a tad of background first. My family was dysfunctional, my father was a drug addict and drunk and my mother drank herself numb to avoid the abuse my dad dished out. My parents where never married, so they split up a little bit after my brother was born. I lived in an area where all the kids you knew where rich, famous, or both; so whatever school you went too, they where there. To be honest, I cannot remember when the name calling and verbal bullying started; I was very young. Things like 'bastard child' and phrases like 'at least my parents are married, unlike yours' and other hurtful things started way back in third grade.

However I remember when the physical bullying started, I was in 5th grade; I had one friend, the only one who kept the other girls off me really... she finally was tempted over to be popular, rich...
They told me I was an eye sore, told me they where tired of me looking so untouchable; it was time for them to break me apart.
They started with glass and fire first, cutting me up, burning me. To be honest I never cried once in front of them, the abuse my father put me through gave me some what of a pain tolerance. However as I got older, they did; and found new ways of hurting me.
They took a butcher knife and slammed it onto my left shoulder in the 6th grade, thankfully for me it wasn't sharp, however it wasn't a great feeling either. For a while I wondered why I was a target, what was so special about me? Was it because I was quite? Was it because I never responded to there mocking?
7th grade year they began something called Water Boarding, it's a torture method of almost drowning someone but they have total control over it. For 2 years I dealt with that, bleeding, burning... honestly I never thought it would end.
My freshmen year they got worse, more often was I found after school and dragged off to someones house. Honestly? I thought they where going to kill me.
I began self mutilation in ways of handling the stress, but only found it heightened my tolerance for pain more. I almost killed myself by bleeding out during my thanksgiving break, and surprisingly I was able to be home schooled for the rest of my freshmen year. I was put on heavy anti psychotics and anti depressants, and honestly? They didn't do anything but make it worse.
I honestly was afraid to go back to school, every day I knew it was coming; and everyday I wanted to die a little more every time. I tried to kill myself 2 more times before the year was over... Then I met a boy who was 3 years older then me; though he was older, he honestly was the one who stopped me from killing myself. He and I talked for hours and hours, and not really about my bullying; but about everyday things. He knew how much I was in pain, and honestly wanted me to find a way to open up on my own.
Near the end of my freshmen year, we began to date. To be honest I never once thought I would find someone, someone who would love me; scars and all.

He moved in with me, my mom and younger brother after my mom pushed for it; and once he started living with me everything changed. He helped me go to the school and report my bullying, he helped me get into therapy for my cutting, and he helped me see that there is more in life then pain.
Though my school never did anything, my mother took the only alternative my therapist offered, I transferred into a school that was smaller, and would help me with the cognitive damage. I graduated High School on time, was able to finally get off the medications, and soon began to recover. I moved away when I was 19, I honestly wanted to try and better myself, become stronger. However before I left, my friend from 5th grade bumped into me. It was the first time her and I saw each other in almost 5 years, and she fell to her knees, sobbing.
She never knew what they did to me until the day I told the school, the school apparently never did anything to the kids; just warned them. She cried and cried until she couldn't and just told me 'I'm so sorry' over and over. I never really hated her, nor did I blame her; to be honest? I couldn't, I just hugged her, and told her my name and it was nice to meet her. It was my olive branch.

It's been 2 years, I am happily married to the same boy who saved me, I am in contact and frequently see my friend, and since then? I have in fact seen and spoken to the 2 of the 4 kids who bullied me. 2 of the girls died from drug overdoses, and the other two just got out of jail for drug charges. The two I saw told me I should hurt them as badly as they hurt me, they deserved it.
Not once did it cross my mind to hurt these people, and not once did I wish harm on my bullies. I always felt sorry for them, wondering what made them so wrapped; so all I did was smile and told them its best to put the past behind you.

Though yes, I still have night terrors of being bullied; memory lapses when I am under stress. I have learned meditation and have taken a type of self defense class that tends to be extremely soothing. I also have learned Music and drawing help me, my husband knows and understands what I go through but he tells me if I keep putting one foot in front of the other, and keep looking forward; even if I stumble a little bit, nothing either can break me down anymore.

I am not 20 years old. I experienced bullying my entire life, but high school is when it got bad. I would get into details of my horrific experience, but you all are aware of the harmful words that come from bullies. I was mentally and verbally abused to a breaking point. I thank my family for being there because if they weren't I wonder to this day if I would be here. I say this because I know the depression that comes with being severely bullied. I know the anxiety and the hardships that tag along and follow you around. I get it. I know how lonely it can be not having any friends. I Know what it's like to not want to go to class everyday or come home and cry or want to cry. I know what it's like to wake up every morning and hear everything play back in your head from the previous day and know you have to face it again. GOSH! I know. I am here tonight though to tell you all, I am a survivor of bullying. I am living my life nearly bully free. Every person will always have someone on their coat tail making their life hell, but that is life. I'm here to tell anyone who reads this that it DOES end. Bullying ends guys. One day you'll be grown and you'll look back and realize that all these kids giving you a hard time were nothing of any type of true importance in your life. The people that bullied me, most of them are having a hard time in life right now, bless them and I hope they can find happiness and get their lives together, but they tried to drag me down and in glad that I rose up from the agony of defeat because I am successful now. I am working a full time job, going to school, following my dreams. being bullies taught me that I was strong. Thanks to those cruel people who were once the "biggest" part of my life, I was pushed towards success. They pushed me to prove them wrong and not let them win. Don't let them win. They love to see us fail, but they hate to watch us rise. So rise. Rise HIGH. Be strong and independent. Defend yourself and follow your dreams. The bullying does not last forever, but a good heart lives on. Fill your heart with positivity. I used to give into all the things they said about me and began to believe it. That's not the right thing to do. Empower yourself. And if you are a passerby seeing someone being bullied stand up, stand out. Be the hero. It feels good to be the hero. Empowerment is a great feeling. To simply look in the mirror and say, "Yes, they called me ugly... But I'm not ugly! And to boot, I have a great personality. I am a good person! They are ugly because their insides are rotten." a little self empowerment everyday does a bullied heart good. Trust me. Never give up. And tell the people around you. Teachers, adults, friends and most importantly your family. If you do not have a strong family unit then go to someone you view as a guidance figure and tell them. My family truly had my back and I could not be thankful enough for them. My mother went to bat for me everyday. She fought and fought and fought for me and with me. She was there day and night shed come to school and pick me up for lunch and stay with me. She was my safe haven. She was my safety blanket. She was my strength my rock and my savior. She protected me and never left me alone. She reminded me of all my positive aspects of who I was and gave me the confidence and self esteem I needed to pull myself through. She wouldn't let me fall into my slump. She fought with the school, parents, teachers, coaches to my extra curricular activities. She never backed down. She stepped in and took control of my situation. I changed schools and she stayed on top of everything the entire way through. Say my new school I met a consular who helped me a lot. He was the first adult involved in the school itself who took care of me. My mom felt safe leaving me and I know her secret crying and nervous break downs subsided. I made lots of new friends and I flourished. So please, do not give up. THIS TO SHALL PASS. it gets better. To every dark cloud there is a silver lining. To every dark tunnel there is a light at the end shinning, waiting for you. Be strong. AND SERIOUSLY, NEVER EVER EVER GIVE UP! 

Grade 7 is when it started. At first it was just a few people calling me names and making fun of my lisp. I laughed it off, pretending it didn't hurt but it did. It got worse and more and more people would judge me for my voice and people I never even talked to would just laugh at me and nobody would really want to get a chance of knowing me. I did have friends but I was still always their last option of who they wanted to spend their time with. at lunch if there was a group of us I would always end up in the back not being able to get a word in. grade 8 came along and it was the same, but worse, people started to write things on my locker. I joined drama thinking that might help but it made things worse, people laughed at me every time i performed and in the halls people would call me fat or ugly, i cried myself to sleep more than anyone ever should. Grade 9 was the worst but at the same time the best, throughout the years nobody knew i was being bullied except for me and people who witnessed it. One day we got a project and it as about bullying and i was talking to my dad about it and he said "it doesn't have to happen" that's the moment that i just snapped everything came out and i cried harder than ever. 2 weeks later my dad talked to me about getting home schooled and i agreed to it. My friends told me i was exaggerating and that I was lying and just wanted attention. I finished my grade 9 year in home school and after realizing i still wasn't happy i got the help I needed and went to grade 10 at a new school with a fresh start and I can say that it was the best year o school I've ever had. I'm still not the same happy person I was once was but I'm better and stronger than ever and I'm open to my story because I'm hoping one day it may change someone's life.

I am Iyana and I have been bullied ever since I was little. I was always made fun of because of my weight. I was always called the most mean and nasty things. When I'm in public and I get made fun of I just shrug it off off and laugh even though deep down. It hurt me. I fell like I am in a hard shell and people are just throwing rocks at me and I just think the shell that keeps me sane will just crack and break open. I would be venerable to all of it. I was always called mean things but the most common was "fattie" and "fat ass". I have a nick name and it's Lil' Hershey but when people make fun of me they also say "thick" Hershey and it hurts it really does but when I do what the teachers tell me. I ignore them. But yet they just come back and they hit me harder with their mean words. It's gotten to the point where I would cry in front of my friends and not tell them what's wrong. Then I started just to cry to my self. Then I just didn't cry at all. Like I was used to it. Like I just cried myself dry. I never talked about this to anyone. I just felt feelings and now it's like I am numb to all pain. Since I have no feeling it's kind of like not caring so I never felt the need to talk to anyone about it. Once a kid was making fun of my weight and saying I was ugly because of it. But the I just said "You know how when particles are heated they vibrate and expand?" The person said "Yeah so?" I laughed and said "Then you would know that I ma not fat, I am just hot." It kinda sucks to be bullied so much to just kinda be used to it. 

from the age of seven, i've had type one diabetes. While learning about drugs in school, people would always look at me, and giggle, calling me a drug head because I had to take shots. Around 8th grade people started calling me a lesbian because I started wearing boy's clothes. My dad even started calling me a dyke, and his side of the family started to shun me. After my parents divorce almost 6 years ago, I moved to a small christian town. I found out that I liked girls and guys, and kept it a secret from everyone. But I had short pink hair, and wore boy's clothes still, and started wearing a hoodie at all times to hide the cuts. At this point I had been cutting for about a year. After starting highschool, the rumors started. Rumors that I was sleeping around, that I was doing drugs. I had people shoving me against lockers in the halls, and even got pushed against the wall in the locker room a lot, a held by the throat till I was in tears. People would threaten my friends, and the few friends I had, were and are still very dear to me. One rumor lead to one of my "friends" beating me till I was bleeding from my mouth, and no legal action could be taken because the girl claimed she was defending her family. After getting pulled out of public school, I went to an online school, and the bullying got worse. People started saying I was pregnant, that I had killed myself [which I wasn't far off from it] that I moved...I became even more of an outcast and shunned everyone away. A year after leaving public school, my best friend killed himself. The bullying was too much for him to take...I went through a deep depression and stopped caring about school. Six months later, another friend was murdered by her boyfriend...the depression got worse. I locked myself in my room, drank, cut, and started smoking. The only thing that kept me alive was the thought that I was hurting, and I hated it and didn't want to make anyone feel the way I did. 

Less than 6 months ago, things started to get better. I found out that I'm a gendefluid, which means mentally, my brain can't choose which gender it wants me to be. I've found someone who is also a genderfluid, and we're currently together. I have one best friend, who I would do anything for, and she's proven she would do anything for me. She got tired of one girl bullying me and took action, even getting arrested by defending me. The only thing holding me back now, is the fear that people will start the bullying again...i'm turning 20 years old, and i'm scared to walk out of my front door in a small christian town.

For all the seventeen years I've lived I've faced abuse at home and bullies at school. It was always people calling me a freak for the way my mind works. It got so bad it was like a movie-if I sat somewhere at lunch everyone at the table would leave. If I would try to talk to someone, they would turn to the next person and make a mockery of me. Rumors would be spread more than I would even talk to other kids. Then in 7th grade I moved schools and hoped for a change. But it didn't happen. Soon kids learned about my parents and what they did, and would bully me about what my parents would make me go through. Once I got to high school it went from freak to slut, even though I had never had a kiss let alone sex. When I would talk to people and think I was their friend, I'd would soon learn of their talking about my behind their back. Between the bullies at my house and the bullies at school, several times I've been minutes from suicide with no one to help. My eleventh grade year, Ms. Wilson, my Spanish teacher, started an anti-bullying club at our school. I jumped at the opportunity to join and help kids who were bullied too. Now here I am, about to be a senior in high school, always going to confide in teachers for help from everything. From office workers in elementary school to my middle school guidance counselor to my high school band director- they've taught me and helped me see the worth I have and that there is always someone that cares. In a few weeks I will be starting senior year; in one day I'll be starting band as the drum major. If I keep my head high and my heart blocked, there's hope those bullies surrounding my life will stay out of my mind-as I hope the suicidal thoughts will too.

I remember when I was about 8 my parents sent me to a camp called teen camp and I didn't understand why I was going since I wasn't a teen but when I got there all the older girls called me bitch and otherthings and the only friend I had there was a girl who was different and I remember getting on the bus to go to the zoo and I don't remember what they said but Iremembered how badly it made me feel but they were teasing me for being her friend before she got on and sat next to me and I remember that even the adult on thebays had said something but I didn't care because I knew that that girl needed me and I needed her 

Hello everybody! My name is Destiny Summers. I always had a problem with bullying. It all started when I was just in 3rd grade. I moved from Manchester, England to Trinidad, Colorado. It was absolutely horrible switching schools. When I got to my new school everybody made fun of my accent. It all started with that one little thing. Finally, I was getting followed home by bully's. I rode the bus so I couldn't really do anything about it. I told the principle but nothing ever was put into place about my problem. I was being followed, made fun of, simple things like that really hurt me. Finally, I got into a physical fight when i was in about 5th grade. I WAS ONLY IN 5TH GRADE! Kids do NOT need to be going through what i went through. I am in high school now and I showed all the bully's up. I am not afraid to be me. Some people do still want to TRY to bring me down because my hair is blonde, i like wearing what i wear, but I am classy. I want to be known for that, and when people try to hurt me i just kill them with kindness now. It doesn't even bother me anymore. I know i am better than them. That's what all the kids being bullied today need to know... they are not the one with the problem, the bullies are. You all have people that love you. Stand up to the bullies, kids! Hang out with the people YOU want to hang out with. DO NOT try to fit in! YOU ARE BETTER THAN THAT! And the people that don't believe so, show them you don't do drugs, show them you don't drink alcohol, show them you have good grades, because once school is all over with, none of that will matter. Show them you are not afraid to be you. Confidence is a bullies weakness. Show them you are strong. Love others and treat them how they treat you.. I love you all and I respect everyone that has been through what I have been through. Show them what you are made of and where you can go in life. ♥