Teenagers can be so cruel. This reminded me of my High School and I was invited to a Homecoming dance by a boy I really liked. My mother bought me a really cute dress which I rarely got new clothes. I got all dressed up and waited. He never turned up or called. I guess he got a better offer or it was a joke as well. I was very hurt and still waiting for an appology after all these years! LOL.

I am touched that her community got together to support her. I looked at Whitney's picture and I think she is a pretty girl. What are teenagers thinking of?

Our teens social studies class recently discussed punishments from colonial America. One, I think it was the dunking stool or the stocks, was used for community gossips. There's a part of me who would love to see those bullies do some time in the stocks.

The other day while shopping, there was a guy who squinted at me and looked angry. Should I get some professional help?

McCloud-perhaps you comment on Patch with similiar motivations as the prankster children. However, if you do so to express sincere opinions, I point out the fallacy in your obvious minimization: your imagined and secret example is incongruent with the actual public humiliation intended to mortify a person for pure gratification. If you are unable to recognize the difference between the assault upon an individual's sense of self, and this 'unknown to anyone' example you cite, perhaps, in response to your query, professional help is in order.

Ahh the bubblewrap world we have all created. Rome burns while little Timmy gets called a name. Preposterous that someone out here is not willing to get their mind right, right out of Brave New World.

Don't just look at the bullying teenagers who think they're above everyone because of their appearance, look at their parents. Where do majority of such teenagers get the money to fund their top-of-the-line designer clothes and fashion accessories? It's those types parents who help create such a false sense of popularity in their kids by buying them the clothes, the shoes, the makeup, the tanning, the hair extensions, the nail salon, the accessories, etc.

They're going to high school, Mom & Dad, not to a photoshoot for the cover of a magazine. These girls have such a low level of self-esteem that they feel the need to have all of the above to make them "fit in" or be accepted by their shallow peers. Then they sneer and look down on those who are merely being themselves without all the physical coverups of clothes, hair and makeup. In other words, they loathe those who look natural because I believe that deep down, they are envious of someone who has the courage and self-confidence to look the world in the eye and say: This is who I am and I will not conform to whom you think I should be.

Thus, in their frustration and jealously, the shallow crowd pokes fun of the natural crowd in weak attempts to tear them down to make their own selves feel better.

Thank God I grew up in the 70s where the everyday attire for school was a t-shirt & jeans and perhaps some mascara and touch of eyeshadow & the fanciest gym shoes were the blue Adidas' with three white stripes for $30.

Most teenage bullies are exact replicas of their parents!

Probably because you are a liberal, which means you know everything.

Is the Bully craze now the new Global warming. If I don't get on board with it then I must be a cro-magnon?

Here we go again with the Schulte infestation.

I often argue the difference in real bullying and innocent teasing. Our world has seemed to become too sensitive. HOWEVER, I do agree this is a prime example of bullying. The sad part is, 15 years ago when I was a senior, I could have totally seen myself doing the same thing. And Annie, my parents are the exact opposite of bullies. It is a maturity thing.
A lot of teenagers are a-holes. Most of those a-holes grow up to be normal, considerate, mature adults. I just would hope that will all of the media coverage on bullying these days, teens wouldn't be as mean. I feel bad for this girl, even though I would think that she may be a little embarrassed from all of this coverage. It's been basically announced to America that she is a "dork" in the eyes of her fellow classmates.

Cyber bullies are a menace too. Much like the Incredible Hulk, attacking (or sending frustrated responses) gives them strength. Still, I'm glad to see most of you find Judy's blogs as thought-provoking and interesting as I do.

Keep up the great work, Judy!

Feel good follow-up.....According to "Support Whitney Kropp on Facebook": WHAT A BEAUTIFUL NIGHT!!!!! Let me share with you the beautiful things I saw tonight. The Cadillac crew was all in orange and looking great. The stands were full. Whitney was amazingly beautiful and the surprise....

For all of the bad press, I really think you need to know what the senior class did. I think it's important for you to know. The young man that was voted Homecoming King has Downs Syndrome. He was not voted King as a joke, he was voted King because he is loved.

Ok I am not an expert by any means, but I have found that kids usually are carbon copies of their parents. If the parents are whiners, their kids are whiners. If kids bully, someone in their life, is usually controlling, and its usually a parent, OR the kid isn't getting enough attention from his parents and uses bullying, bad behavior to get SOME attention from them.