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Staten Island teen hangs self after Catholic school staff do nothing to stop bullying


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Another scandal to be swept under the rug.

I rather doubt it. There is a lot unsaid in the articles out there.

Danny was apparently failed at least once, changed schools at one point, was bullied, etc., but we see nothing about what his parents' involvement was. Why the school changes? What was happening at home? Where were the parents when he got into fights with Anthony and John, leading to x-rays for a broken pinky? John got in trouble, and Danny didn't, so where were Danny's parents? And John's? Did they help? What did Danny tell them?

The teachers didn't help, but we don't know just what they knew. (i.e., his writing says "I told all the teachers nothing" but does that mean they DID nothing or he TOLD them nothing?) Did he tell Mrs. Goldrich or assume she should know?

The male teacher Danny's sister mentions, if true, was likely in violation of student privacy laws and should lose his job at the very least.

So no, I don't think it's going to be anything just swept under a rug. And if anybody here has the surefire answer to this national problem, there are plenty of folks who'd like to hear it.

[Danny's full letter is at

]

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Soon the Church will now tell Danny's family that he's gone to hell for committing suicide. He won't be able to have Catholic funeral or burial services. This was drilled into our heads when I went to Catholic school (through the fifth grade) At least we had almost no bullying.

Colin :icon_geek:

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Soon the Church will now tell Danny's family that he's gone to hell for committing suicide. He won't be able to have Catholic funeral or burial services. This was drilled into our heads when I went to Catholic school (through the fifth grade) At least we had almost no bullying.

No longer true. The older teaching you cite dates from the Code of Canon Law dated 1917. It was most recently changed in 1983, and today's Code of Canon Law, §1184, no longer lists suicide as a reason to forbid either a Catholic funeral or burial in a Catholic cemetery. Nor, for that matter, does it any longer proscribe cremation.

Sadly, masturbation and homosexuality are still considered "intrinsically and seriously disordered acts" but give it time. Just as laws in the US have evolved, so they are evolving in the Church.

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​I picked up on this very sad story yesterday and realized that I left Catholic school in fifth grade because of bullying. But I fought back and that was deemed inappropriate so they kicked me out. It was the best solution for everyone concerned. Stupid nuns.

Spent the morning looking for further information on Danny's story and ended up reading so much negative information surrounding cases just like his. The school year started back up here this morning and I hate to think what some poor kids will have to endure. Suicide is not the answer, but until adults start listening and acting on situations like this some kids will try that avenue to end the pain.

On a brighter note: In Atlanta today they have opened the new Pride High School for LGBTQ kids, article in the Washington Post.

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That might have been the canon law, but regardless we were told that suicide was a mortal sin; that meant that you'd burn in hell and you couldn't have a Catholic funeral or burial in a Catholic cemetery. After fifth grade I left the Catholic elementary school and transferred to the public middle school — my choice which my folks accepted — and left the Church to become a Holiday Catholic at 11 years old. I didn't leave because of bullying; I was a large kid for my age. I left because of a theological argument about predestination. "God knows everything you've done and everything you're going to do," which caused me to respond, "Then why should I try to be good if God already knows what I'm going to do?" and I and that caused an argument with the priest. That's not what the Church teaches about predestination, but again that's what we were told.

Colin :icon_geek:

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