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Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Teens Unsure If National Bullying Story Will Make A Difference

The story of the apparent suicide of bullied B.C. teen Amanda Todd has raised national attention on the affects of cyber-bullying.

CHSJ news spoke to Saint John High teens to see if they feel the high profile case will make a difference with bullying at school. Grade 12 student Britney Lapoint doesn't believe this one case will change bullying. She says people need to be more mature, considerate and not so judgemental. She says her school doesn't seem to have a problem with bullying, but there are different cliques and some people who exclude others.

Her friend Kristin Hunt agrees. She says there's not many people who haven't been made fun of and there's hardly anyone who hasn't gossiped. She adds people need to understand that something they say might seem harmless, but it could really be hurtful. She adds regardless of social media, bullies will exist but spreading awareness helps.

A student named Dakota says although Amanda Todd's story is sad and raises awareness, she's not sure if it will stop a bully. Grade 11 student Sarah Poirer says the story has definitely made a presence on social media, but she's not so sure it's made an impact on her school directly.