Growing up was really hard for me, I've been small my whole life and constantly got teased and picked on my whole elementary years, i'm now 41 yrs and still get teased about my height (4"11) and I have 3 school aged children. My oldest daughter is 14 and in 9th grade, i had her moved to my mother in Point Hope, Alaska for school because she was bullied here in our small village Atqasuk, Alaska her whole elementary school years. I have tried everything in my power to stop it, i went to the school and talked with the principal and teachers. Nothing got done so I talked with my daughters father and told him that as soon as our daughter graduated from middle school i would move her to another school. My son is 12 years old and in the 6th grade and he gets bullied. He got kicked in the back once and I had had enough I finally went to the police department and started pressing charges on that bully, repeated talks with the father did not help, he did not do anything about his son bullying my children. During my employment with the North Slope Borough as a Deputy Director to the Mayor, they hold monthly meetings and so at one of the meetings (the meeting is aired live over the airwaves through out the whole north slope) I voiced out my concern about bullying and what we need to do to stop this. This bullying happens all over our villages on the North Slope and seems nothing is being done about it. I have passed this website on my facebook and hope family and friends join in the fight against bullying. Thank you for this site, its a comfort knowing that there is a place to go to on the web and get support.

When I was in elementary school I had an overbite and was verbally abused, relentlessly, on a daily basis. Bucky, Bucky Beaver and Peter Rabbit were some of the names I was called. It had a profound effect on my grades. It made me self-conscious, insecure and was most likely the cause of the depression that for years I didn't know I had. Teachers ignored it, and the one friend that finally did stick up for me was paddled for doing so. By the 4th grade, I was almost completely despondent. A teacher had man-handled me [he grabbed me by the neck and forced me into another seat for asking another student a question] and my grades were bad enough that I was given a choice. Enroll in "special" classes at another school for 5th grade, or repeat 4th grade. Needless to say, even at that young age, I had no trouble agreeing to going to a new school. I figured that if nothing else, I'd be away from the bullies that made the first four years of my school life completely miserable. Fortunately, the move was good for me. I never got less than a B. I wasn't bullied and, although I was still self-conscious of my appearance, I was starting to feel better about myself.

Today, I am 45-years-old and a parent of a 14-year-old who fortunately is not being bullied. However, bulling still exists and its disconcerting to know that there are kids that feel that the only way out is to hurt themselves -- commit suicide. I also find it disheartening that teachers and school administrators are still so incapable or unwilling to do anything to stop bullying -- zero tolerance policies are not the answer. School should be a place for kids to get a great education and feel safe and secure while getting it. I have absolutely no affinity for bullies or for people that condone bullying. We don't need legislation to stop bullying. What we do need is a society that, in concurrence, says enough is enough. We are not going to take it anymore.

I am 36 years old now but back when I was a kid I was bullied alot from the age of 6 up to the age of 18 from grade one to grade 11 and I went through alot.  It first started whine I was in grade one moved to a new town and we were the first family from out of town that moved in.  I was in grade one when I had a accident in class because the teacher wouldn't let me out of class to go to the bathroom that's when it all started.  I would go to school and the kids would start to point and laugh and then the name calling started then we moved back to where we were living before that and it was all right no picking no name calling just a lot of people that hung around with then two years after went and moved back to the other town where I was getting picked on as it was closer to my fathers work.  I kinda thought everyone would have forgotten about grade one and they had until the teacher asked me well do u know anyone in class and well everyone had changed looks by then and I said nope at first so she said what dummy and said to me dog to the other side of the room where the dumb kids are and I would have to take resource to help me in my dumbness I almost cried because I knew I was smart my grades always proved it. Then the next day the kids started again I was picked on about being stupid. The names never left at all I was called dummy, dozy, stupid and a few others my teacher that year was just as bad she picked on me all year long and said that if she wasn't leaving the school that year she would have failed me so she could tourture me for another year I went home after getting my end of the year report card and threw it and went to my room and cried we always did that routine every day go home do my work and cry because I was badly picked on.  I was always shy but it didn't Take long to get out of that after getting picked on.  Now I had endure that all the time and then when I got bused to school because I had to be bused to jr and high school I had clods kicking my seat spitting in my hair and I also had one person put hair spray in my hair to make sure it stayed there.  I would always go home never tell anyone what was going on I would go upstairs shower do homework and cry every day before going to sleep.  But in grade 11 before my 18 th birthday to be precise two days before I couldn't handle it anymore and tried to end my life because I couldn't handle being picked and it wasn't my first time I tried I tried in grade 7 but it didn't work but in grade 11 I took alot of pills of my moms but just before I passed out it dawned on me I know I wouldn't be picked on the kids would be happy but my family would be devastated my mom and dad and sisters would probably not be able to cope so I told my mother what I did but not why she found out later when I went to a shrink after I went to the hospital had my stomach pumped.  I later transferred  schools and lived with dad in another town my mother thought it would be better for me and it was I had friends and never got picked on.  The thing is when your getting picked on talk to someone a parent a counsellor at school anyone is better than keeping it to yourself it eats you if u don't.  I am glad now do told someone back then I have two beautiful kids a loving bf I still think of what I went thru and I think if I hadn't talk to someone I wouldn't have lived to have my kids life my life I have now.  Kids if u are getting bullied talk to someone anyone is better.  I don't let anything or anyone bother me now I stand up for what's right.

When I was in 6th grade and my sister in 8th, she would get made fun of real bad for coming out as gay, for two years that happened, and when her and I finally went to the same school, I'd see some of the taunting and laughing and I'd stand up for her as she would for me, but the school pinned us as bullies. That for standing up for ourselves we were horrible people, that we made others feel bad. The school never once took in out story, why? Because they had to uphold their "perfect status". So they'd rather two children be taunted and hurt and blamed then actually deal with the problem.  To this day, the school we went does nothing for children being bullied. Being pinned as a bully for standing up against one is the most obnoxious thing that has ever happened in my life, but the fact that it was my sister as well made it that much worse.

Hey, my name is Destiny, I am currently 15 years old, I am a sophomore in high school. I guess you could say that I am one of the popular kids at school, but that's because I stick up for everybody, no matter what is "wrong" with them by society's standards. When I was in fourth grade I was tormented every day, for months and months. It started out just getting called names by two of the older kids on the bus. Then they'd start to throw stuff at me one day, I guess name calling got boring. After a few weeks of throwing things at me, they began to follow me home. They would shout horrible things at me and throw stones at me. I would always just wait and make my sister walk home ahead of me, I didn't want her to see me cry. Then I guess they got bored just being the two of them, they invited their friends to join in. Now I was being followed by 5-10 people everyday, they just yelled at me, and threw stones. After this going on about two months, one day I decided I'd throw the rocks back. They stopped for the day. The next day I was followed home by 24 kids.ages 5-17. This was the day my mom found out. They didn't even follow me, the surrounded me and began to throw rocks. Except this time, they didn't just throw rocks, they threw their ookbags, they took chunks of cement out of the road, the picked up sticks, their books, anything thing they could find they threw it at me. This went on for a good 20 minutes instill my friends mom drove by, she went to my house and got my mom. When the school says they care they rruely don't, only 2 people got in trouble. If you're being bullied, TELL SOMEBODY. Tell your mom, tell your family. Don't let it escalate to the point you want to die. You are worth more then that, I want to add a PS to my story, my friend Savanna Kaiser died on November 5th 2010 due to bulling. You are loved, she was loved, somebody does love you, because I do. Stay strong,<33, 

I would have never thought I would be one to be bullied. All my life until now in high school, I have been known as a fairly "popular" student. Of course for all the right reasons. The fact that in elementary school and middle I was bullied for being too skinny or too black haunted me. It made me hate my appearance and it made me feel as if I wasn't anything. At school, with friends, and family, I'd smile and put on a mask of happiness, but deep down I wasn't happy with myself. Plenty of times, in middle school, I have tried to commit suicide by drug overdose on over the counter pills, but my God did not let me go. I think it is in his will and is my destiny to begin sharing this story and teach other young ladies their true worth and how to be a young lady. After watching the special on CNN, I truly want to make a difference. I loved Lee's story. I am truly thankful for this outlet for people to open up about their experiences and gain closure. This is truly a blessing from God himself. Thank You.

I'm a 20 year old college student - past the age of general immaturity. I was bullied in elementary school by two different people. One was girl who simply did not like me for no reason. She gave me a hard time, stealing pencils and giving me dirty looks. The other was a boy who had some sort of psychological issue going on. He would push me around in line, tell me that I needed to go to a mental hospital. He would use a lot of psychology terms since his parents were psychologists. He would tell me that my parents (two women) were wrong and disturbed. Once we got into middle school, I met my now best friend of over 7 years in Band class. We ended up having Latin together and the boy started throwing paper wads at us and calling us names. It bothered me that he brought in my new friend that I ended up telling him to leave her alone. After 3 years of being bullied by him, I stood up and it felt good. 

In high school, a girl younger than me tried to "be nice" but, ended up saying cruel things. It got so bad that, one day she took a black pastel and marked over the folder I used for art projects that I had taken the time to sketch flowers on. I told my art teacher and all she did was move me to another side of the room. The bullying stopped for awhile but, then she began coming over to where I was and where the supplies were to "play with my hair because it was pretty". I would tell her to stop but she wouldn't. Eventually she was taken out of my school and put into a school for kids who were troubled. By the time she came back, it was almost time for my senior graduation.

It's been four years since then and I've finally moved past it. Yes, I still do remember all of it but, I no longer let it affect me. I no longer think that I deserve to be treated they way they did. I'm a stronger person now and do not put up with any sort of bullying, in person or cyber. Online, I'll be called a "bitch" if I don't take it. Though, I've gotten to a place where I'd rather be called that knowing that I stood up for myself and shut the bully down then to be crying at night.

Recently a boy in our town, who's family I know, was murdered after being in a fight with his bully. His parents laid him to rest today. How senseless? I teach my child everyday to be respectful to others, and try to make him understand that everything you say and do affects the lives of others. The thought of a child having to go to school everyday to be teased and picked on every day of their lives is heartbreaking. I just want to help.

I'm 25, well passed my schooling years and I have recently decided to take a positive stand against bullying. Ive been a bully, and I have been bullied. I am not proud,  it was short-lived, and I learned alot. CNN just ran a special about bullying and I have known one too many people to commit suicide as a result of the direct impact that a persom/people can have on one another. I am a member of the LGBT community. I've been with my partner for 3 years and I am happy and content. I know the youth still struggle. We will never win this war but we can bring awareness to our communitites. Older teach younger. Bystanders quit standing and act! I urge you....anyone who is struggling with NO ONE to talk too, please directly contact me through gmail @ kpatt3005. I will listen. I will advocate. I will be here.

My name Is Donald and my experience with being bullied goes back to Elementary School. When I was a child the hardest thing about being bullied was not understanding what it was about me that other children hated so much. I went out of my way to be nice and to befriend everyone but it seemed that despite my efforts there were certain children who just loved to bully. I can remember being afraid to tell my mother because she had a lot to deal with being a single mother, working a lot and I didn't want her to feel as if I was weak or a disappointment as a son. I endured the bullying for many years, through many tears and for a long time it was my biggest secret. I learned as I grew up that there was nothing wrong with me as that invited the bullying other than that I had been strong enough to be myself. I think that children should understand what kind of courage it takes to be kind, friendly, non violent and humble. These are the children that bully's usually target because they are threatened by the what they don't understand. I won most of my bully's over with friendship but that wasn't the case for some. I grew up to be a very talented, confident and successful singer/songwriter and I still have a passionate love for people. I want to encourage kids who are being bullied and to let them know they are not alone and that it does not last forever. I want to encourage kids to take a stand against behavior that threatens other children. Being bullied is not easy to endure and unfortunately not all children can get through it so they need us to take a stand, to protect and to look out for one another.