Teen commits suicide due to bullying: parents sue school

Bullying is one of my hot buttons. This is such a tragic story and frightening that this kind of bullying could happen in front of teachers without them doing anything about it.

My heart goes out to this family.

From ABC News:

Eric Mohat, 17, was harassed so mercilessly in high school that when one bully said publicly in class, "Why don't you go home and shoot yourself, no one will miss you," he did.

Now his parents, William and Janis Mohat of Mentor, Ohio, have filed a lawsuit in federal court, saying that their son endured name-calling, teasing, constant pushing and shoving and hitting in front of school officials who should have protected him.

The lawsuit -- filed March 27, alleges that the quiet but likable boy, who was involved in theater and music, was called "gay," "fag," "queer" and "homo" and often in front of his teachers. Most of the harassment took place in math class and the teacher -- an athletic coach -- was accused of failing to protect the boy.

"When you lose a child like this it destroys you in ways you can't even describe," Eric Mohat's father told ABCNews.com.

The parents aren't seeking any compensation; rather, they are asking that Mentor High School recognize their son's death as a "bullicide" and put in place what they believe is a badly needed anti-bullying program.

Wizards of Winter

Dazzling Holiday display helps fill food banks
By Sally and John Macdonald

The Seattle Times

Johan Jorna, 17, created a computer-controlled multi-house Christmas-light display choreographed to music as a senior project. The display has a box accepting nonperishable donations for the food bank and a short-range radio signal allows viewers to hear the music from their cars.

Jorna hasn't decided yet which food bank will get the benefit from his computer-driven project; it's his first attempt at an outdoor Christmas light show. But bring food if you decide to drive by because he will have a way for you to donate.

Jorna, who's home-schooled and also attends Cascadia Community College in Bothell, had all the light strings and decorations he needed to make a display that spills over into the next-door neighbor's yard and dances and flashes furiously in time to the frenzied music of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra's "Wizards in Winter." (A sign prompts viewers to tune their car radio to 88.3 FM to hear the music from the street.)

He bought $200 worth of wiring and electrical components for the display, including $80 in electrical cords. He figures the project, which he learned how to do via the Internet, improved his soldering skills "and taught me a whole lot about electrical engineering."

Jorna may be a newbie at over-the-top Christmas lights, but "it's something I've always wanted to do on my own and I'm sure it will grow."