Good Georgia Lawyer is very sad to report that another child has tragically lost their life due to suicide as a result of bullying. The Illinois family of a 10-year-old honor student named Ashlynn Conner who committed suicide last week stated that their daughter had been a victim of bullying at her elementary school and in her community.
Ashlynn, a student at Georgetown Ridge Farm Elementary School, told her mother two weeks before her death that she was being bullied for years and did not know how to react to the bullies.
Last week, Ashlynn asked her parents if she could be home-schooled. Shortly thereafter, her sibling found her hanging in her closet. The Police are now investigating the bullying claims through Twitter and emails.
Good Georgia Lawyer has written extensively about bullying in Georgia. For more information, we encourage you to read our article entitled “Resolving Bullying Problems for Your Child Part One.”
To understand what legal rights your child has regarding bullying, please read Bullying Part Two, Legal Implications. Georgia Bullying Law is codified in O.C.G.A. 20-2-751.4 however there are additional civil rights laws that also can protect students from harm.
Additionally, “Pressing Criminal Charges Against A Bully” discusses some of the options you have when your son or daughter is the victim of a violent crime of physical or sexual assault by a bully.
To read the Georgia Department of Education Policy on preventing bullying, harassment and intimidation, please click here.
If your son or daughter is experiencing a problem with bullying, we encourage you to schedule an appointment to discuss your legal rights and options. You can contact us at 404-654-0288.