Week in Review - Sunday: Patrick Dresslar

Sexting Tragedy

Jessica Logan's story is a tragedy of epic proportions.  A simple picture ended her life because it fell into the wrong hands.  Throughout this country we have seen the torment and powerful repercussions of teenage bullying resulting in suicide time and time again.  I don't know all of the details of the case, but the school's administrators and school board should have been done more to deter the overt harassment she was suffering, including suspension or expulsion of students found guilty of throwing things at her on graduation day or any other incidents of extreme harassment.  School administrators have to step up in these situations and impose a zero-tolerance policy on student harassment.  We have seen stories like Logan's too often for teachers and principals to just turn a blind eye.  These students are criminals, and certainly guilty of the Logans' accusations of severe infliction of emotional distress. 

I am sure the parties involved are all guilt-ridden, wishing they could have changed the way they acted.  Logan's boyfriend is culpable in all this, even if the break-up is nasty, man up and don't distribute nude photos of your ex.  But I simply cannot get past the school administration's part in all this.  Again, without knowing all of the details, it is safe to say that early on they knew about the photos spreading throughout campus and did not do enough to protect Logan against all of the harassment.  They have to be in her corner entirely, she is the victim of teenage bullying and someone with authority needs to ensure that she will be protected, and this includes the police.  I hope the Logans are successful in their pursuit for some semblance of justice, although winning any lawsuit will never replace their daughter.

Email Patrick