Schools

District Offers Parents Help on Bullying Prevention

John Halligan who lost his 13-year-old son to suicide, relays his story at a presentation Wednesday night at Murphy.

John Halligan, a father whose 13-year-old son took his life after incessant bullying will be a speaker in a presentation given Wednesday evening at Murphy Junior High School.

Halligan's son Ryan, a Vermont middle schooler, committed suicide in Oct. of 2003. Bullying for Ryan, began in the fifth-grade and got more intense when he entered middle school, eventually leading up to cyberbullying, which his parents learned more about after his death.

In memory of his son Halligan spearheaded the Vermont Bully Prevention Bill, which was signed into law in 2004, only a few months after Ryan's death. The law established bullying prevention procedures for schools. 

The presentation begins with home movie clips and pictures of Ryan, introducing the audience to the boy and to his family. It also explores the impact of teen suicide on a family and conveys lessons on forgiveness and hope.

His son's story has been shared nationally and internationally and has been shown on The Oprah Winfrey Show, CNN Anderson Cooper 360 and Good Morning America among others.

The presentation will be held in the auditorium at Murphy Junior High School form 6-7:30 p.m.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here