 |
| Kenneth Weishuhn |
The Sioux City Journal
did the unusual. They published an editorial that they considered so important
they devoted their front page to it. The issue at hand was bullying and the
recent suicide of 14-year-old Kenneth Weishuhn.
By all accounts
Kenneth was a happy boy. He was friendly and looking forward to life. Kenneth’s
various Internet pages show this to be the case. But all that changed almost
over-night. Kenneth told his friends he was gay. In rural, conservative, very
religious Iowa, that turned out to be a mistake. While many teens find
acceptance Kenneth was quickly rejected. Worse, he was insulted and threatened.
They called him on the phone, they left messages on the Internet.
In four short weeks he went from being friends with everyone to being an outcast. And when you are 14, living in a small town, that can mean everything to you.
The Journal notes that the school system doesn’t seem to actually take bullying seriously. According to them only “2 percent of their students are bullied in any given year.” Surveys among students show the rates of bully to be significantly higher.
In four short weeks he went from being friends with everyone to being an outcast. And when you are 14, living in a small town, that can mean everything to you.
The Journal notes that the school system doesn’t seem to actually take bullying seriously. According to them only “2 percent of their students are bullied in any given year.” Surveys among students show the rates of bully to be significantly higher.
So what exactly do libertarians have to contribute to the debate?
