Phoebe’s death sparks US legislation change

THE US state where Irish teenager Phoebe Prince tragically took her life has introduced new legislation forcing teachers to immediately report any bullying issues to school principles.

Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick signed the bill into law after the 15-year-old Co Clare girl and 11-year-old Carl Walker-Hoover both died by suicide after being subject to separate bullying campaigns.

The new law, described by legislators as a “watershed moment” for child protection, prohibits bullying on school property.

In addition, the new legislation will allow for people in the state to be charged with new offences specifically relating to cyber-bullying, which due to its occurrence over the internet is more difficult to prosecute under harassment laws.

Six students who went to the same High School as Phoebe Prince in South Hadley, Massachusetts, and three juveniles are facing charges relating to physical and mental abuse against the Co Clare girl, who died in January.

The charges, which have been denied, range from criminal harassment to statutory rape.

Ms Prince, whose family had only recently left Ireland for the US, died by suicide after being subjected to a bullying campaign.

Her death came less than a year after 11-year-old Carl Walker-Hoover hanged himself at home.

Walker said he had been tormented by classmates.

Meanwhile, a leading Irish-focused US media outlet has reported that a “vicious raft of rumours and innuendos” about Ms Prince and her family have been circulated in South Hadley.

Irishcentral.com has confirmed it was contacted by an individual claiming he had obtained information from school files about Ms Prince.

The information, which the website said was “extremely damaging… and is supported by no evidence whatsoever”, has been circulated to both local and national media outlets.

The correspondence which outlined the claims said it had been obtained from teachers at Ms Prince’s school and was due to be published in both the New York Times and the Drudge Report.

However, both media groups have confirmed they will not be running the story under any circumstances, with Irishcentral.com stating that the information is being put forward in an attempt to muddy Ms Prince’s reputation.

Since the tragedy the Princes spokesperson, Darby O’Brien, and others close to the family say they have been threatened in the area.

* A documentary examining bullying and the story of Phoebe Prince will be screened tonight on TV3 at 9pm