Comments on: Sexting suicide and school discipline policies

By: saber

saber — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 04:00:36 +0000

I didn’t know Hope, but I have heard a lot of good things about her from her friends. I am very sorry for her family’s lost and I send my prayers out to them. I am however very close to Alex and I would like to say thank you Shayla, for making your statement about how the ones who’s names were printed, were the only ones who were mentioned. This was the only time I have heard anyone sound like they weren’t blaming just him. Our community is small and it was hard for Alex to remain here after all this happened. He does care a lot for Hope and wishes her family the best.

By: Shayla

Shayla — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 01:21:17 +0000

I have a problem with this i knew hope i went to school with her and i also knew alex and the girl that borrowed his phone, in reality alex had a girlfreind at the time or around the time and of course he would delete the photo but the “Rivial girl” is the one who forewarded the message and her names not in the paper she refused to speak. what does that say. all those who were innocent their names were mentioned

By: reneeschaferhorton

reneeschaferhorton — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 19:42:24 +0000

Wow. So sad for your son and it sounds like the school needs some help. I encourage all parents to advocate for the best in managment practices. Sometimes schools get locked into a certain mindset and it takes parental/advocate pressure to make them see what’s happening.

By: reneeschaferhorton

reneeschaferhorton — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 19:39:33 +0000

Thanks

By: tiponeill

tiponeill — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 23:32:42 +0000

It certainly is deniable – she pretty much stated herself that she was the victim of a non-permissive school and non-permissive parents, both of whom punished her.

By: Sandi

Sandi — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 20:41:47 +0000

My son was friends with Hope. He was disturbed when he learned of her passing hearing rumors of her suicide. When I saw this article in the local paper, I immediately informed the school that the rumors were now in print and perhaps they should allow discussion regarding three themes that are evided: sexting, bullying and suicide. I was thanked for forwarding the article but told they already had grief counselors following her death (though no one really now how or why she died) and that they would offer counseling for any student seeking further help.
The school does have problems. My son received threatening phone calls from an unknown student; we reported it to the school’s resource advisor. While she was understanding, she said there was nothing she could do without know who the caller was. Fortunately, nothing happened. My son has ADHD and sometimes goofs off. He has now been the “target” of anything and everything even accused of stealing a soda from the teacher’s stash though I know he brought the soda from home. His guidance counselor moved him away from his friends at the lunch room for misbehaving in science but gave no other information other than he was misbehaving. My son is far from innocent but I believe the school can be heavy-handed on occasion.
From what my son has told me of Hope she was an extremely bright and caring girl who excelled in school and FFA. She used poor judgment but I think she became “targeted” as a discipline problem.

By: David Holzman

David Holzman — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 19:51:50 +0000

Kudos to the author of this blog. Thank you for a superb combination of reason and compassion

By: Ado

Ado — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 04:40:10 +0000

I would also add she was a victim of a sexually permissive society, a society LIBs have been advocates for much more so than conservatives. That is undeniable.

By: leftfield

leftfield — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 03:17:52 +0000

It’s them durn lib’rals. It’s all the fault of them thar lib’rals!

By: tiponeill

tiponeill — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 01:15:36 +0000

I agree it is pretty much a failure all around – schools are notorious for not being able to deal with bullying, and even for enabling it.
For instance – is suspending a student for a week for the “crime” of sexting liable to reduce bullying, or encourage it ?
And the parents were notified, and brought in for a conference, and sent Hope to a “christian therapist”. Always a smart move.
Hope was a victim of the bullies, but even more of the idiocy and incompetence of both school and parents, and she is far from alone.