Teen’s death sparks anti-bullying rally

About 100 students, teachers and parents held an anti-bullying rally in front of the Hamilton-Wentworth district school board Monday morning.

They want to bring attention to how serious the problem can be for kids.

Earlier this month, Christopher Howell, 17, killed himself after being bullied at school. His mother Judy attended the rally and spoke about his situation.

“He came to me the night before, complaining about a certain bully. Then the next day he called me at work and was having trouble. And on my way home, he just kept saying, he phoned me back again; he said ‘I love you, I’m hanging myself now.'”

“20 Minutes later I got home and there he was, in his closet.”

Rally organizer Roxanne Lane: “Next year, my daughter’s option is to go to that school, and I acted on this out of fear, and concern that it could very well happen to my daughter.”

Cailea Lester founded an anti-bullying group, called Bullying Blows.

“It’s a place where the victims of bullying can come and get help with their problems and talk to people if they need to.”

HWDSB Education director John Malloy says groups like that are already in many of its schools.

“Students have joined together, some of those students are here today to say we want to create a safe environment, we want to create an environment where people belong, and we’re going to make this happen.”

“Bullying Blows is one example that we absolutely support.”

The board says 8 to 10 per cent of kids in schools deal with bullying, but 60 per cent of cases go unreported.

Video: Cindy Csordas reports: