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Home Page > Blogs > News blogs > Periscope > Phoebe Prince was not bullied to death, claims author in new book - Argues her many mental problems led to suicide, not ‘bullycide’

Periscope by Niall O'Dowd

Phoebe Prince was not bullied to death, claims author in new book - Argues her many mental problems led to suicide, not ‘bullycide’

Posted on Wednesday, March 06, 2013 at 07:24 AM

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Phoebe Prince (Credit:ABC)

The tragic January 14, 2010 death of Irish teenager Phoebe Prince does not qualify as ‘bullycide’ according to a controversial new book on the subject by author Emily Bazelon.

Bazelon covered the Phoebe Prince trial for ‘Slate’ and she claims in an interview in the Boston Herald this week that what happened to Phoebe was “not beyond the pale” and that Phoebe had multiple personal issues that were the underlying cause of the suicide.

I could not disagree more with Bazelon’s conclusion which adopts a “blame the victim for having her own problems” mentality.

To recap, Prince was bullied mercilessly soon after she moved to South Hadley Massachusetts from the rural town of Fanore, County Clare in Ireland with her mother.

In her new high school two groups of students took turns making her life miserable after she allegedly stole the boyfriend of one of them.

As a newcomer Phoebe was utterly isolated and she suffered terribly.

Despite the fact that her aunt had outlined Phoebe’s troubled past and her problem with bullying, school authorities did nothing

On January 14, 2010, after a day of bullying which included dreadful verbal abuse and having a can thrown at her from a passing car Phoebe went home and hung herself.

Her body was found by her traumatized 12-year-old sister. Immediately dreadful comments about her appeared on Facebook, placed by the bullying teens. Emily Bazelon is the author of the new book “Sticks and Stones, Defeating the Culture of Bullying and Rediscovering the Power of Character and Empathy.”

She believes that what happened to Phoebe was not enough to trigger the suicide.

I wonder what she would consider unacceptable behavior then.

She points to Phoebe’s many problems as justification for her comments.

Phoebe had been bullied in school in Ireland, she had taken to cutting herself, she drank liquor and smoked pot. She had massive fights with her mother and agony over her parents’ separation.

Just weeks before she killed herself she had taken an overdose of pills but survived.

I agree with Boston Herald columnist Margery Eagan who reported on the Phoebe case and disagrees with Bazelon. Eagan believes this strengthens the case that she was bullied to death, not weakens it.

This was clearly a girl who had high potential to do herself harm to begin with. After all, well-balanced teens rarely commit suicide and Phoebe clearly had her share of mental problems.

This made the attitude of the school authorities, who knew she was being bullied and she had mental issues, even more confounding.

They should also have been charged with the neglect and failure to protect Phoebe though they got off scot- free.

Bullies pick on the most vulnerable and the six teenagers saw Phoebe as a ripe target . The harassment against her was criminal.

A young girl died needlessly because other teens abused her and adults looked on. Just this week, Bailey O’Neill, another Irish kid in a Philadelphia suburb died after being beaten up by bullies. He was just 12 years old.

By excusing the South Hadley teen mob Bazelon is on dangerous grounds. Reasons and excuses for suicide can always be found.

However, ignoring horrific bullying as a root cause defies common sense. See more: US Crime , Irish in Boston , Irish News , Irish immigration , Irish American

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MurphMom | Mar 16, 2013, 12:24 PM EDT

Only in a black and white world would saying that there are other causes automatically relieve the perps of any responsibility. Suicide is a tragically complex issue to which one never has answers. Clearly bullying played a part as did mental instability, problems at home and lack of understanding of the finality of the act. The real crime here is the apparent lack of intervention by adults. If this young lady was as troubled as is being reported, then her parents and the school had a fiduciary responsibility to get her help. With that said, suicide happens. When it does, it is devastating, especially in one so very young. Sadly, we almost never see it coming. All that is left is the never-ending grief and a lifetime of unanswered questions. From the title of this woman's book, it appears as if she is taking positive steps to stop bullying. Bullies don't pick on the most vulnerable. They seek them out. They are predators and bottom feeders. They will strike when they smell blood. The trick is not to let your scars show. It sounds like the author is working to get kids to that point. Why not support those efforts?

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Parents | Mar 07, 2013, 09:48 AM EST

This is an obvious grab for money, who does this author think she is, she knows all but really she knows nothing about it. Yes obviously never bullied herself, didn't know this person one day when she was alive, knows nothing and writes this book blaming anything and everything else on her suicide. The behaviour of the school, the teachers, principal, superintendent all contributed to her death. They did nothing and then lied about it, covered their tracks, and they too illuded to it was her problem all along and got off without any blame. Now this author wants to completely wipe the slate and say even the bullies are not to blame, it was all the victims fault. Bullies know two things, you pick on the weakest and the school and everyone in it will do nothing, it is pretty much standard practice and it works time and time again.

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irelandmusic | Mar 06, 2013, 04:08 PM EST

Ms.Bazalon take off your rose colored shades these bullies need to be stopped QUIT blamming the victims.

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Proud Canadian2 | Mar 06, 2013, 03:31 PM EST

I was going to go on a lengthy tirade on how utter dispicable this person is but after reading all the great posts on here I think that everyone has said it all and I applaud everyone of you. Let this poor girl and her family Rest in Peace.

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cillowen | Mar 06, 2013, 03:00 PM EST

being so beautiful the lesser beings could not deal with being the fuglies they are. Not too surprizing this sleaze creepy crawler would dream up his/her rant for a little silver. Another day,learning of the zeros who abound.

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Searlit | Mar 06, 2013, 12:25 PM EST

I agree with sarindc. As if what was done to Phoebe in life wasn't bad enough, now Emily B. continues to haunt Phoebe's family, with her book. A new definition of ghost-writer. We must do more to protect children from bullying!Maybe schools could help by banning that book.

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jamieLM | Mar 06, 2013, 11:53 AM EST

Bazelon's conclusion about this tragedy is so far out in left field that I wonder about state of her mental thought processes. What a mindless twit not to have any compassion for Phoebe, blaming her while giving the bullies a free pass. Disgusting.

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saraindc | Mar 06, 2013, 11:14 AM EST

Clearly this author is using this as a publicity stunt to attract attention to her book - well newsflash she just cut herself in the foot because no-one i know is going to buy her book. She's sensationalizing on purpose to get free marketing - let the kid rest in peace, leave her family alone and stop slopping your useless input on why the kid committed suicide - you dont know her, you dont know the triggers she was dealing with and speculating on what was driving her to do things out of character don't help her family grieve and don't help you either because you look like a cold calculating money digger trying to sell your book. you wont find me paying a dime for it.

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forflann | Mar 06, 2013, 09:36 AM EST

Obviously Emily B. was never the subject of bullying!

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antoman | Mar 06, 2013, 08:42 AM EST

Your article reminded me of her and her story. I wish it hadn't. Perhaps you shouldn't have written this article. May she rest in peace.

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