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Vancouver Off-Topic / Current EventsThe off-topic forum for Vancouver, funnies, non-auto centered discussions, WORK SAFE. While the rules are more relaxed here, there are still rules. Please refer to sticky thread in this forum.
After documenting a heart-breaking story about cyber-bullying on a video posted to YouTube last month, 15-year-old Amanda Todd was found dead Wednesday night in Coquitlam.
Her tragic death - an expected suicide - has prompted many to speak out about the dangers of bullying, especially in the age of social media.
Premier Christy Clark posted a short video on YouTube today sending her sympathies to Amanda's family.
"I just heard about Amanda. I want to say to everyone who loved her, to all her family and friends, how sorry I am about her loss," Clark says on the video.
"No one deserves to be bullied. No one earns it. No one asks for it. It isn't a rite of passage. Bullying has to stop."
Amanda was a Grade 10 student at an alternative high school in Coquitlam called CABE (Coquitlam Basic Alternative Education), which has approximately 200 students in Grades 10 to 12.
Principal Paul McNaughton said the students and staff at the school are grieving today. He said Amanda, who joined the school halfway through the last school year and came back to start Grade 10 in September, had friends at CABE.
"It is a very sad case," he said. "I can tell you we feel we tried everything we could to help her when she came to us.
"She was quite connected here. The staff and the students here are very much impacted. She had some very strong ties in the school and to staff in the school.
"The whole thing has been pretty hard."
In the YouTube video, Amanda does not speak but instead holds up to the camera white pieces of paper on which her story is told, one phrase at a time. She documented a painful story of being harassed online and being shunned at school, leaving her feeling alone in the world.
In a message accompanying the video post, she added: "I'm struggling to stay in this world, because everything just touches me so deeply. I'm not doing this for attention. I'm doing this to be an inspiration and to show that I can be strong. I did things to myself to make pain go away, because I'd rather hurt myself then someone else. Haters are haters but please don't hate, although im sure I'll get them. I hope I can show you guys that everyone has a story, and everyones future will be bright one day, you just gotta pull through. I'm still here aren't I ?"
YouTube today pulled the video, posting a short explanation that is was removed because it violates YouTube's terms of service.
The school district sent grief counsellors to CABE -- which helps students who are having difficulty in other schools for a variety of reasons -- to speak with students and staff.
District spokeswoman Cheryl Quinton said Coquitlam has many anti-bullying programs in its schools, and noted the issue is becoming even more challenging because of social media.
"Bullying . . . is an issue of prime concern for the school district," she said.
Amanda had previously gone to school in Maple Ridge but had changed schools and was living in Coquitlam.
In the YouTube video, Todd told of living with her father, who she said rescued her when she was lying in a ditch after being beaten by a number of students. She said then moved to another school -- it was CABE she was referring to -- and was with her mom.
McNaughton said the family doesn't want to talk to the media.
"We're respecting their wishes," he said.
Amanda joined YouTube on September 6 and posted her video Sept. 7.
On Sept. 7, Amanda also uploaded a presentation Cybre Bullying on Prezi in which she explains what cyberbullying is and gives advice on dealing with it.
In what could turn out to be her own very sad legacy, Amanda urged people to stand up to bullies and to help their victims:
"If you see that someone is being bullied, don't be afraid to tell the bully to stop doing what they are doing. Make sure to tell them that it's wrong and that they shouldn't bully other kids."
To parents, Amanda urged them "to always give your child emotional support" and help them if they are being bullied.
The Amanda Michelle Todd memorial Facebook page, posted early this morning, already has more than 4,000 people "liking" it.
Many people were also posting comments on the site.
"RIP. my thoughts and prayers go to her family, I cannot even begin to imagine what they are going through. High school is supposed to be the best time of your life, not one where you fear for yourself every day. No one should have to feel the way she did. What is wrong with people, why do they feel the need to bully someone to their death? She was a beautiful young girl who went way too soon," wrote Breanna Lockhart Collins.
In a post on its Facebook page, G Force Gym, Home of the Vancouver All Stars cheerleaders, wrote:
"Today we feel the loss of our former VAS family member Amanda . . . I ask that we all watch her video and share her story so that her loss is not in vain. Allow this to be her legacy . . . Allow us all to look around & find the next Amanda before another precious spunky teenager is lost."
Amanda's video echoed another similar online tale entitled My Story: Suicide and Bullying, which was uploaded by Mollydoyle18 on YouTube. It was clear from the comments that Amanda wanted to contact Molly in a private message and apparently had reached her.
Commenting on Amanda's video, Molly wrote today:
"Rest in peace and fly high to Amanda Todd. I was just messaging her about almost a week ago, and I just found out that she has taken her life. She was asking me about how to be an inspiration to others and to get her video more views, and now I have found out that she has passed away . . . This is a terrible tragedy. I wish she could have had her happy ending."
was just reading about this and panicked because i thought it was a friends little sister, luckily its not but a shame none the less, heres a link on fb for those to show condolences
Too bad it isn't about flipping cars to lose money, I'm really good at that.
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Originally Posted by SkunkWorks
This wouldn't happen if you didn't drive a peasant car like an Audi...
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[14-05, 14:59] FastAnna You tiny bra wearing, gigantic son of a bitch
[15-05, 10:35] FastAnna Yeah I was dreaming of those big titties in that tiny bra
Shouldn't authorities be very diligent on trying to track down who this stalker is? If he posted pictures of her boobs from when she was in grade 7, wouldn't that be child pornography?
RIP. So sad to see that these kinds really doesn't understand the impact they have for making fun of someone and treating like it's all a joke. Hopefully this will bring some senses to those who are still bullying and getting away with it....=\
Cabe used to have some really fucked up juvenile delinquents when I was in school but she came back for another school year, so maybe it was still better than her previous school in Maple Ridge.
I am genuinely curious though. How does cyber-bulling happen?
Do kids publicly post hate comments on the victim's page? or send fucked up private messeges?
I am not trying to deny that it doesn't happen, just genuinely curious as bullying was always face-to-face back then.
Same as bullying in real life but via Internet.
Posting the boob picture of her to everyone on her friends list. Creating a wall about Amanda, making fun of her et cetera. Then someone showing it to Amanda.
Many ways of kids being dicks - people that knew her should have smartened up.
Cabe used to have some really fucked up juvenile delinquents when I was in school but she came back for another school year, so maybe it was still better than her previous school in Maple Ridge.
I am genuinely curious though. How does cyber-bulling happen?
Do kids publicly post hate comments on the victim's page? or send fucked up private messeges?
I am not trying to deny that it doesn't happen, just genuinely curious as bullying was always face-to-face back then.
RIP
Depends.
People can post photochopped pictures or post other pictures of the victim
make comments towards the victim, either putting them down or making threats against them
Make fake accounts to humiliate the victim
__________________ Originally posted by Iceman_19 you should have tried to touch his penis. that really throws them off. Originally posted by The7even SumAznGuy > Billboa Originally posted by 1990TSI SumAznGuy> Internet > tinytrix
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Originally Posted by tofu1413
and icing on the cake, lady driving a newer chrysler 200 infront of me... jumped out of her car, dropped her pants, did an immediate squat and did probably the longest public relief ever...... steam and all.
but at the same time (not to be an ass or anything here..) but why didn't she just delete facebook so she could no longer be tagged in photos? when she started at a new school nobody from her past would be able to know about her in the new school and who her friends were and etc...
either way...sad story...hope the guy spamming the pic of her boobs goes to jail.
This makes it twice as worse. Makes you look around yourself a little bit harder to see if there's anyone that you can reach out to...
Amazing how far a heartfelt "are you ok" will go.
RIP to the girl, condolences to her family.
That wording confused me at first, but I think what the author meant is that her death is expected to be ruled a suicide, not a homicide.
Regardless, RIP. Bullying always has been, and likely always will be, an issue for young kids, especially those in their early teens. I did a documentary on bullying many years ago, which focused around one kid - Hamed Nastoh - who committed suicide back in '00 after being bullied. Even a year later while interviewing his mom, you could see how much of an impact his death had on his family.
I'll see if I can digitize that video and put it online, in case anyone wanted to see it.
Personally, I don't think there's enough help out there for people who need help from bullying. While this sort of occurrence is relatively rare, I don't think anyone should balk at support a government-funded department even if it helps only one person.
Parents need to do more especially the parents of bullies. I talk to my son who's in Grade 1 all the time about how it's not OK to be a bully or to be bullied. I try and teach him he needs to stand up for kids who are victims of it because it's not OK.
I once had a guy stand up for me when I first moved here. He was a super popular kid who went out of his way to help me when I knew nobody and had no friends. I got a chance to thank him last year after not seeing him for almost 22 and thank him for making a difference in my life. It really doesn't take much the act of one person can make a huge difference.
__________________
The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It's a very mean and nasty place... and I donīt care how tough you are, it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently, if you let it. You, me or nobody, is gonna hit as hard as life. But ain't about how hard you hit... It's about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward... how much you can take, and keep moving forward. Thatīs how winning is done. Now, if you know what you worth, go out and get what you worth. - Rocky Balboa
Parents need to do more especially the parents of bullies. I talk to my son who's in Grade 1 all the time about how it's not OK to be a bully or to be bullied. I try and teach him he needs to stand up for kids who are victims of it because it's not OK.
I once had a guy stand up for me when I first moved here. He was a super popular kid who went out of his way to help me when I knew nobody and had no friends. I got a chance to thank him last year after not seeing him for almost 22 and thank him for making a difference in my life. It really doesn't take much the act of one person can make a huge difference.
My best friend's seven year old is already being harassed in school because of her clothes... Seriously, I know kids can be mean, but it's not something a kid that young should have to go through.
My nephew was getting bullied in Grade 1 for the longest time... he would tell us about it (he said kids will not play with him because they say he's black), and my brother would go to the teacher, but nothing was done. My brother had to actually go talk to the principal with a recorded conversation he had with the teacher, with her saying there's nothing she can do for him, for my nephew to get moved to a different classroom.
It's sad for how people can turn a blind eye to a problem like this, especially in my nephews case, someone who had the power to control the situation.
__________________
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[03-07, 03:26] Yodamaster - The feeling when you quickly insert without hitting the sides
but at the same time (not to be an ass or anything here..) but why didn't she just delete facebook so she could no longer be tagged in photos? when she started at a new school nobody from her past would be able to know about her in the new school and who her friends were and etc...
either way...sad story...hope the guy spamming the pic of her boobs goes to jail.
anyone know the guys name who was leaking the photos, even that of the girl that fought her? just curious
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