Focus on bullying

Focus on bullying

The fallout continues from the now-infamous videotaped “bullying”
incident in which a 13-year-old Upper Darby High School student was beaten, stuffed upside-down in a tree and finally hung from a fence.

All of this humiliation was captured on videotape by Nadin Khoury’s tormentors.

Amazing what teens do for kicks these days.

Not so amazing is the findings of a new study in Philadelphia, sparked in part by the Upper Darby incident, that contains some ugly warning signs on the “bullying” problem.

It’s much more widespread than first thought, and at least in the city not enough is being done to combat it.

One of those who appeared at the hearing was Upper Darby Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood. He was in the spotlight – not exactly unknown to him – for the high-profile way he handled the Khoury situation and his decision to release the videotape of the attack. That move skyrocketed the story into national headlines.

Khoury appeared on the “Today” Show as well as “The View.”

The report in the city also was rooted in the hearings that were held around the city after a series of attacks on Asian students at South Philly High School.

Chitwood was called upon to offer his expertise, in particular the program he instituted getting police officers into the schools to talk to kids about the bullying problem, along with what to do about it, and what to do if you are a victim.

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