Teen Buried as Conversation on Bullying Spreads Across the State

The suicide of a 14-year-old Primghar boy who endured weeks of bullying in school and on the Internet after he came as a gay teen has elevated public discussion of cyber-bullying.

Des Moines Register columnist Kyle Munson has been following the story since Kenneth James Weishuhn hanged himself in his family's garage last weekend.

Weishuhn, who before he came out had been a popular teen at South O'Brien Community School in Paullina, was taunted in the hallways, was vilified on Facebook and received threatening messages on his cell phone, said his family.

His school's administrators confirmed one incident, but said they weren't aware the bullying continued and Weishuhn never filed complaints. School Superintendent Dan Moore told Munson, "The biggest battle we fight is with cyber-bullying." 

What can/should schools do to combat cyber-bullying?

Weishuhn's death comes at a time when the documentary "Bully" is showing in Iowa theaters. The film tells several stories of bullying victims, including a 12-year-old boy who lived in Sioux City at the time the movie was filmed. 

The film opens Friday at the Fleur Cinema in Des Moines.

You can read a compilations of videos and reactions to the teen's death here.

West Des Moines Schools Ban Bullying

The West Des Moines school district prohibits harassment and bullying in many cases, including a student's sexual orientation. Punishment for students found to have bullied others includes suspension or expulsion from school.

The family and friends of Weishuhn, who was buried Thursday, said he was tormented in person, as well as on Facebook and in phone messages.

West Des Moines schools define bullying through emails, text messages, written notes, verbal statements, and physical acts aimed at making the school a hostile environment.

Students are encouraged in the district's policy to tell bullies to stop their behavior, but if it persists, or if they don't feel comfortable confronting the bully, students should talk to teachers, counselors or a principal. And students should write down the circumstances of the incident, including when and where it happened, what was said or done, who was involved, and how the victim felt.

Those who retaliate against someone who reports bullying face suspension or expulsion.

The Urbandale school district has an anti-bullying policy on its website, but the policy focuses on actions on school property or at school events, as well as creating non-hostile environments for students.

"Acts of harassment or bullying may be treated as grounds for discipline. Discipline may include suspension or expulsion of a student, termination of an employee's contract, and/or exclusion of a volunteer from District activities or premises," the policy states.

The Waukee School District has an online tool to report bullying and students earlier in the year created a moving video against bullying.