NYT Runs Front-Page Story on School
Bullying

In a story published Monday, New York Times columnist Dan Barry explores high school bullying through Billy Wolfe, a 15-year-old living in Fayetteville, Ark., whose classmates frequently attack him and accuse him of being gay.

Wolfe's troubles began years ago, when a boy phoned to ask "if he wanted to buy a certain sex toy," according to the article. After Billy's mother, Penney Wolfe, called the other boy's mother to complain, the boy presented Billy with a list of 20 names of classmates who wanted to beat him up. Since then, Billy has suffered a string of attacks, including a blow in woodshop class that left Billy unconscious and later spitting up blood; and being punched so hard in Spanish class that the inside of his cheek was stuck to his braces.

His tormentors also launched a hateful club on Facebook, which school administrators later dismantled. The club's purpose: "There is no reason anyone should like billy he's a little bitch. And a homosexual that NO ONE LIKES."

School records suggest that at least one administrator thinks Wolfe provokes the violence, but Penney Wolfe, Billy's mother, denies that her son deserves the beatings.

Alan Wilbourn, a spokesman for the school district, said federal law protects the privacy of students, and parents shouldn't assume the bullies haven't been punished. He also said it was up to staff members to determine whether an incident required police involvement. (The Advocate)