by JUJU CHANG, LINDA
OWENS and JONANN BRADY
ABC News - Good Morning America
May 2, 2008
Debbie
Johnston accomplished her emotional
three-year mission this week when
the Florida legislature passed a
tough anti-bullying law named in
honor of her son, who committed
suicide in 2005. Florida lawmakers
pass a bill, spurred by one mother's
loss.
The
Jeffrey Johnston Stand Up for All
Students Act requires schools in the
state to adopt policies to
discourage bullying in person and
online or risk losing state funding.
Florida Gov. Charlie Crist is
expected to sign the bill into law
today.
Jeff Johnston grew up a well-liked,
straight-A student, who seemed to
have a bright future. But after
enduring two years of taunts and
Internet attacks, Jeff took his own
life at 15.
"I
just remember screaming just, 'No,'
over and over again," Debbie
Johnston said.
Other kids soon came forward
detailing the relentless bullying
Jeff faced. Johnston said her son
felt he couldn't escape it.
"He
said, 'Mom, where can I go?
Everybody knows. There's no place I
can hide,'" she said.
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age students and
their parents daily and to
provide a
forum where opinions can be freely expressed from a parental
perspective.
