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August 27, 2018
Judge Tom
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2018 school year begins with tragic bullycide

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Jamel Myles

Most of you are headed back to school or may have already begun the new school year. In the Denver, Colorado area, Jamel Myles started on August 23, 2018 at Shoemaker Elementary School.

Jamel loved Pokémon cards, robots and music. He told his mom he wanted to be a YouTube star. Over the summer, Jamel came out to his mother that he was gay. They talked and she reassured him of her love. He told her he was scared because he was a boy and “it’s harder on boys when they come out.”

On August 20, 2018, the first day of school, Jamel wore fake fingernails and came out to his friends. Four days of bullying included being told “to kill himself.” He did just that. On August 23, his mother found him at home, but was unable to revive him. Jamel was 9 years-old and in the fourth grade.

What can we say? This is another tragedy that, with a little kindness and respect, could have been prevented. Think about your words before you speak. If you see another student being picked on, don’t just stand by and watch – stand up and put an end to it. Tell the student being bullied that you’re a friend. Many victims feel alone at school and just need one friend to make a difference. Be the person you know you are and want to be as you mature. Living with regret is painful, but avoidable.

 

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Judge Tom

The Author Judge Tom

Judge Tom is the founder and moderator of AsktheJudge.info. He is a retired juvenile judge and spent 23 years on the bench. He has written several books for lawyers and judges as well as teens and parents including 'Teen Cyberbullying Investigated' (Free Spirit Publishing) and 'Every Vote Matters: the Power of Your Voice, from Student Elections to the Supreme Court' (Free Spirit Publishing). In 2020, the American Bar Association published "Cyberbullying Law," the nation's first case-law book written for lawyers, judges and law students. When he's not answering teens' questions, Judge Tom volunteers with the American Red Cross and can be found hiking, traveling and reading.

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