islandpacket.com beaufortgazette.

com Sunday, May 11, 2014 17A

Russel is doing better now.
He says he has not been bullied
once since transferring.
Perry feels fortunate that she
recognized her son was being
bullied, in light of the recent
suicide of Celeste Wills.
Wills, 12, a sixth-grader at
Robert Smalls Middle School,
died April 30 of an apparent
self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Her friends believe she was bul-
lied, which might have played a
role in her death. Her parents,
Dale and Clarissa Wills, agree
but say they had no idea she was
bullied or suicidal.
A DIFFICULT TASK
On its website, the Beaufort
County School District defines
bullying as unwanted, aggres-
sive behavior that invokes a real
or perceived threat or action. It
is a behavior that is repeated
or can be repeated by one in-
dividual or many individuals.
Long-lasting effects of bullying
may cause lifelong problems for
both the victim and the bully.
The district has had anti-bul-
lying programs for at least a de-
cade, and the topic has received
much discussion in recent years
as a possible contributing fac-
tor in a number of teen suicides
and school shootings across the
country.
Experts say its important for
parents to know what to look
for, to monitor their childrens
online activity and to have open
discussions about whats hap-
pening at their schools.
But bullying doesnt end when
classes end. Ubiquitous Wi-Fi,
myriad social media and mo-
bile devices like smartphones
mean bullies can follow kids
anywhere they go, even right
into their bedrooms.
That makes it important and
difficult for parents to be on
the lookout for warning signs.
I DIDNT FEEL SAFE
Perry said Russel became de-
pressed and didnt want to go
to school. He got mad at her for
BULLYING
Continued from 1A
WARNING SIGNS WHAT PARENTS SHOULD DO
If parents suspect their children are being bullied, officials suggest taking
the following steps:
If the incident hap-
pened at school,
report it to school ad-
ministrators.
If it happened out-
side of school, par-
ents are encouraged
to talk to the parents
of the perpetrator, or
if they dont feel com-
fortable doing that,
contact law enforce-
ment.
After reporting a
bullying incident, fol-
low up in writing.
Keep an eye on
what your children
are doing, especially
online. Have their passwords. Be vigilant in checking their posting on social
media sites.
Take time to have the difficult conversations on the effects of bullying, in-
cluding how it can contribute to depression and suicide.
Sources: Richard Lieberman, a school psychologist, consultant and expert with the
National Association of School Psychologists; Lt. Alfredo Givens, who oversees all
Beaufort County Sheriffs Office school resource officers; Beaufort County School
District chief student services officer Gregory McCord
Here are some of the warning signs that a child might be bullied:
A de-
cline in
grades
or loss
of inter-
est in
school
Lost or de-
stroyed clothing,
books, electron-
ics or jewelry
Sources: Lt. Alfredo Givens, who oversees all Beaufort County Sheriffs Office
school resource officers; and stopbullying.gov
Cutting
class
Frequent
headaches
or stomach
aches; feeling
sick or faking
illness
Changes in
eating habits,
such as sud-
denly skipping
meals or binge
eating
Difficulty
sleeping or fre-
quent night-
mares
Self-destruc-
tive behav-
iors, such as
running away
from home,
harming
themselves or
talking about
suicide
Feelings of
helplessness
or decreased
self-esteem
Sudden loss of friends or avoid-
ance of social situations
Unexplainable
injuries
FIGHTING BULLYING
Please see STRUGGLE on 18A
For about a month, I wouldnt go to my own drama class
because of being threatened, he said. I mean, drama is my
thing. ... I didnt feel safe in the school.
Russel Perry started at Battery Creek in the ninth grade. By
his junior year, he said he was beaten up once or twice a
week. Someone picked on him every class period. Teachers
often didnt notice until he spoke up to defend himself, and
then he got in trouble for yelling in response.
Submitted
Russel Perry
stands with
his mother
Sharon in
a recent
photo.
forcing him to go.
Russel, who has red hair, fair
skin and a thin build, says it all
began in sixth grade when he
lived in New Jersey.
I was furious that it was hap-
pening in school, Perry said.
He was little, and I thought they
were going to keep him safe.
The bullying continued into
the eighth grade, so she knocked
on doors around the neighbor-
hood.
Could you please ask the
kids to stop? Perry said she
asked the parents. Im not ask-
ing for your kid to be nice to my
kid. Just leave him alone.
It helped a little, but most of
the parents didnt believe their
children were bullying Russel.
When the family moved to
Beaufort in 2011, Russel hoped
things would change. But the
bullying worsened, he said.
He started at Battery Creek
in the ninth grade. By his junior
year, he said he was beaten up