Another bullying related death, this time the victim is all right.

[KabeRinnaul]

My favorite one I was told when I was in junior high was "Nobody starts a fight for no reason. You must have done something to provoke him."

Fortunately, I starting growing a bit early, and towards the end of junior I was big enough most people didn't want to mess with me. That's also around the time the Columbine shooting took place, and, being a major introvert, people starting getting wary of the "quiet guy".

[Silverharp]

Just to toss my hat into the ring on this one, growing up I was a fat comic book readin geek with glasses and no social skills growing up in a small midwestern town (and you know how small towns LOVE anyone who's different, am I right?)
My time in high school was spent being afraid to talk to anyone out of an almost pathalogical fear of rejection, and keeping a tight lid on my emotions due to my self knowledge that if i DID snap, I was taking someone with me, so my refusal to fight was seen as weakness, hence a LOT of shit was taken.
So yeah, I can see where this kid was coming from. It's the adults who should be ashamed that due to their "Just go get a parent or teacher, and that will make the bad bully stop" bullshit, this kid is now a killer.

[MadMike]

My favorite one I was told when I was in junior high was "Nobody starts a fight for no reason. You must have done something to provoke him."

And yet, they thought you started a fight for no reason. Gotta love it. As I said in my post, the same thing happened to me. I'm still somewhat resentful about it, even 30 years or so later.

[Lace Neil Singer]

Heard that too; my main problem was that the headmaster of my school was very oldfashioned and believed that normal girls do not fight. So when I got into fights, none of them started by me, he just assumed that I'd initiated the fight in some way and acted accordingly. First with a suspension, then after that with isolation when the facts were that in each case a girl had started on me, and had basically written a check she couldn't cash.

You'd think that most kids would have the brains to realise that pissing off the tall fat girl who can pound you into the ground without even breaking a sweat is a bad idea... especially after an incident where she's provoked into fighting back and realises that it's the only way to stop the bullying. But no. I had to deliver several more smackdowns before the stupid bitches at my school got it into their heads to leave me alone.

[DrFaroohk]

And yet, they thought you started a fight for no reason. Gotta love it. As I said in my post, the same thing happened to me. I'm still somewhat resentful about it, even 30 years or so later.

Or, if the bully attacks you, you must've provoked him. Better watch your mouth. But if a bully provokes you? You need to learn to control yourself better.

Resentment is a terrible thing, I know myself. Especially if you have a particularly odd memory system like myself, where I remember shit that happened in like second grade. I still remember every time I got in trouble for something I honestly did not do, just on the word of someone who wanted to make something up, and to this day I smile every time I hear one of those teachers or the student who accused me got cancer or hit by a train.

[RedRoseSpiral]

I thought this video was rather fitting for the thread:

Teachers & Bullies: Foamy the Squirrel