For a 10-year-old to feel hopeless enough to take her life is beyond description. I sub at a variety of grades, and I know how sensitive kids -- especially girls -- are to the slightest insult. We don't ignore these episodes of verbal bullying; if the situation can't be resolved in the classroom, the students involved go to the vice-principal's office for counseling.

I can't even imagine what it's like to be physically abused -- the pain, physical and emotional, must have been unbearable. I've talked with several students who have said they reported bullying to the office and were essentially blown off.

Young students are self-focused without any experience of time. How it is now is how it is going to be forever. So sad. I feel for the parents at their loss.