Hundreds of students at Essex High School in Vermont came together in a show of support for Cole Peterson (pictured), a freshman who was beat up by two students because he is bisexual. staging an all-day sit-in last Friday, WCAX reports:
Students spent the day participating in workshops addressing bullying, creating signs to show their support and sharing their own stories of bullying and being bullied. "We've learned about terms for gays, lesbians, bisexuals, transgenders, transvestites. We're putting out a strong message that they're just human beings and they're not something to be against," said Thomas Titus, an Essex freshmen.
Essex High School principal Rob Reardon says he'll handle concerns over classroom attendance next week. He stresses Friday's sit-in is just a start to tackling bullying behavior on and off school grounds. "The bottom line is, students have the capability and the power to stop this behavior -- because this is 24-7, through the summer, on weekends, as well as being here at school," Reardon said.
Watch a video report on the sit-in and interview with Peterson, AFTER THE JUMP...