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 Linda Thomas
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Linda is the morning news anchor and features reporter for KIRO Radio. This is her local news blog, with an emphasis on social media, technology, Northwest companies, education, parenting, and anything else that grabs her attention.

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Teen suspended for anti-bullying video

May 23, 2012 @ 6:59 pm (Updated: 12:09 pm - 5/24/12 )

HaileyHailey Bennett seemed like a perfectly happy 12-year-old girl. But she wasn't.

Every day Hailey was bullied at school. Again. And again. Hailey's mom died when she was three. The girl's dad abuses Hailey. Feeling alone and abandoned, she killed herself on May 14, 2012.

Hailey is the fictional character created for a video a New York student made with an anti-bullying message.

The real girl behind the video, 15-year-old Jessica Barba was called into the principal's office - she thought for praise for her video. Instead, she was suspended for five days because the class project video caused a "disruption" in the school's learning environment.

After a meeting with the principal today, the suspension was lifted, according to Kery Murakami, a former Seattle journalist now working in New York.

Barba shot the six-minute video for an assignment in her business and communications class at Longwood High School in New York. She says she had been asked to create a persuasive promo or advertisement.

In the video, Barba plays a girl who is regularly bullied, falls into a depression, is taunted on social media sites and eventually kills herself. Statements at the beginning and the end say it is a fictitious story.

Superintendent Allan Gerstenlauer originally suspended the girl for 5 days, saying the video was "unfortunate in that it created a substantial disruption to the school." A statement released Thursday says "the matter was thoroughly investigated and dealt with following our normal district procedures."

 

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Comments (22)


  • Add A Comment

  • jcalexander wrote...
    The school district...
    May 23, 2012 6:20 pm
    ...should create a 'substantial disruption' in this guy's career - by firing his sorry behind...
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • happyjohnnyboy wrote...
    Well Done!
    May 23, 2012 7:21 pm
    Jessica produced a strong message against bullying. Well done! Sad that Gerstenlauer had to do what he did, but again, she will receive a lot of support after the 5 day suspension is over.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • dcnilsen wrote...
    So this is what i suggest...
    May 23, 2012 8:18 pm
    Everyone in that school that supports what she did, should make a similar video and post it online. I would love to see the "un"superintedent suspend possibly hundreds of kids and explain how creating a positive video was wrong to all the parents. I am not worried about this girl though as she will get all sorts of support and this superintendent will be voted out.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • hoglander wrote...
    The Most Epic and Artful Creation I've Ever Seen at 15
    May 23, 2012 8:20 pm
    Good Job. : ) This awareness video deserves to be shown at other schools. I'm very proud of this young lady. : ), Kraig
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Derrol_o wrote...
    Disruption in the learning environment?
    May 23, 2012 10:42 pm
    What kind of learning was disrupted by the video? The lesson from the video itself is pure gold from a 15 year old girl with a message of compassion and how to see people as they really are. A somewhat rare trait among kids that age, many of whom can't look past all the superficial stuff. Unbelievable.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Ron_Spins wrote...
    L.O.L the "school Superintendant could not have
    May 23, 2012 10:59 pm
    made a video even half as good as that ....the punishment comes from insecurity on some adults..(adults?)part. This is another form of bullying..yeah I am calling you out!!!!!!!!!!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Media Monkey wrote...
    School District
    May 24, 2012 5:40 am
    District: http://www.longwood.k12.ny.us/ The only email available on the district's site is: myra.vaughn@longwoodcsd.org The format of the emails however is probably consistent throughout.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Ted Logdon wrote...
    Incomplete Story
    May 24, 2012 6:36 am
    What this article does not say is that Jessica was NOT suspended for the video. She was suspended for what she wrote on "Hailey's" fake Facebook page.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Oly80 wrote...
    oooooohh.
    May 24, 2012 6:46 am
    totally.

    that makes the whole thing completely fine then.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • pmobley wrote...
    Thank you!!!
    May 24, 2012 6:51 am
    This is why I think I'm going to stop reading this website's "news" stories. They are sensational rather than factual and you can't trust what they report as news. It's like reading tabloids. I'd rather go buy the Enquirer - at least I know going in, it's just for fun. BTW - I'm so encouraged by Jessica's video. Kids who step up and take courageous chances to help solve problems give us hope for their future.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • 1999thelastgoodyear wrote...
    strange...
    May 24, 2012 4:39 pm
    is that why you're taking the time to comment?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • outdoorlovr wrote...
    Great job Jessica
    May 24, 2012 6:36 am
    15 years old and she made a power video like this and instead of building her up and supporting her talent this school bullied her because she would not conform to their standards. I would like to know what her grade on this assignment was. If she were my daughter I would be in that school distric office everyday. This is exactly why I do not send my children to public school. Is what this girl did any more disruptive then what the girl in eastern washington did faking a pregnancy for a class project? look at all the posotive attention that girl got for bringing a attention to a serious subject from a teens perspective. Given the recent teen and youth suicides in Grays Harbor County of our own state, this is a really strong and important message that is quietly being ignored.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Zagnut wrote...
    I did happen to spot the "c" word on the fake facebook page.
    May 24, 2012 7:16 am
    Which only made the video more realistic.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Lonestar wrote...
    If that's a 12-year old girl
    May 24, 2012 8:15 am
    Then I would say there are definitely too many hormones and chemicals in the food chain.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • TheQuietMan wrote...
    She's 15
    May 24, 2012 3:30 pm
    Read the article again.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
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