Cops Investigate Gay Bullying in Arizona

In the wake of Jamie Rodermeyer’s death, everyone from Anderson Cooper to President Obama has been focused on preventing more teen suicides and the scourge of anti-gay bullying. That hasn’t stopped kids from Tucson, Arizona’s Sabino High School, however, from bullying of their own. According to Tucson’s KVOA TV, the Pima County Sheriff's department is investigating an exchange between a gay Tanque Verde student and some Sabino High School students who allegedly made threatening comments after the gay student — who asked to remain anonymous — posted a comment about Rodemeyer’s death on Facebook.

“One of the guys who I went to middle school with supported the bullying and congratulated them on all the things they had done,” says the teen victim, who has often been bullied on the way home from school, with other students driving by yelling threats and gay slurs. The bully's comment sparked hundreds more, says KOVA, and while most were positive and encouraging, several of the bullies comments escalated to “terrifying and disgusting” levels.

“It's terrible. It's more frightening than anything else. It just seems like the stuff that progresses into violence,” the victim told reporters.

The Sheriff's Department spoke to the Sabino school administrators who refused to speak with reporters, but reportedly told the police they “handled it” and have a zero tolerance policy when it comes to bullying.
The victim says the frightening experience has had one positive outcome: “It really alerted me to the support system I have at my school” including staff and fellow students who stepped in to help, including teachers who got involved.

Gay Straight Alliance advisor, Julie Smith, told KOVA, “At first I do have to tell you I sat down and cried. I mean some of the threats on Facebook were physical threats and I was afraid they would be carried out. I just couldn't see myself not stepping in and doing something to help out.”

Gay teen says 'Stop Bullying me or I'll SUE!!!!"

Gay teen activist Caleb Laieski has notified officials at every school in Arizona that they must put a stop to bullying, or else he plans to file a lawsuit. The Arizona Republic reports that the Phoenix-area teen e-mailed a letter to more than 5,000 school administrators and elected officials in early December.


“The letters warn school officials that they must institute policies specifically prohibiting gay harassment by students, teachers and administrators,” reports the Republic. “Schools that fail to stop bullying will encounter ‘legal ramifications.’”
Laieski, 15, founded Gays and Lesbians United Against Discrimination two years ago. Prior to making his demand of every school in Arizona, he successfully prompted the Dysart Unified School District, where he had endured antigay bullying, to revise its handbook to include language that prohibits bullying on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.
Now pursuing his high school equivalency diploma, Laieski runs his organization with a friend, Casey Cameron of Chicago.
Thus far, the Republic reports that the letter campaign has generated responses from only a handful of officials, most of whom have not expressed plans to take further steps. The Arizona School Boards Association, whose handbook recommends policies and language to many districts, plans to release new policy advisories this month, but a spokeswoman would not say whether antigay bullying was included among the revisions.


On a personal note, i have to say its about g-d  damn time somebody did something like this!!!!  They either comply or pay, good for you Caleb1