Cyber Bullying, Bullying, Assault, Help, Education, Anti-Bullying Laws, Maine, Teens of America, Personal Story

1. Surviving A Bully’s Impact-Part 3

2. My family’s lives changed that day and still we are
suffering the consequences. I offer you a glimpse into
my world best quoted by my husband...
“Maybe a few days ago I knew what to say, but again
the anger and hostility that has never left since that day
in March rears its ugly face. The experience of being
pushed into reliving the details day after day as the pain
of not knowing if Dax, my only son, my best friend will
ever be there again for me to hold, to share, to
trust…Dax is not the same... and neither am I.” (R.
Catalano, 2012)

3. Dax’s future is still unknown since the extent of a
traumatic brain injury has no end date. As Dax reaches
each milestone in his life he will still be discovering the
impacts and limits the assault has wrought.
Bullying has taken a personal toll on my family since
March 1, 2011. Faced with the nightmares of the
aftermath, my family has been torn apart and tossed
down into despair and darkness.
But we are starting to come through the tunnel.

5. After this incident and despite the hardships, It has
become our determination not to let another victim
be left scarred by a bully, a parent go through what
we are experiencing, and the abandoned feeling of
not knowing what to do when my family had
looked for help.
In this determination, I started my journey with the
news media before Dax had even left the PICU
(i.e. Pediatric Intensive Care Unit).

6. Then spending endless nights e-mailing Maine Senators and
Representatives encouraging the passage of Anti-Bullying Bills
LD 1237 (drafted by Rep. Terry Morrison) and LD 980
(drafted by Rep. Don Pilon).
These Bills were written to help protect students from the
effects of a bully/cyberbully and force the schools to take this
seriously by having to develop an educational policy for not
only teaching about bullying, but for getting down to the facts
of WHY a bully bullies and when necessary, disciplining
against these crimes.

8. ON MAY 21
IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD
TWO THOUSAND AND TWELVE
_____
H.P. 928 - L.D. 1237
An Act To Prohibit Bullying and Cyberbullying in Schools
REP. TERRY MORRISON’S BILL
Was Signed Into Law

9. “Our students deserve a quality and safe education,
but they were not getting that before this Bill passed”
(Morrison, 2012).

10. Terry Morrison is the first openly gay Representative here in
Maine and knows first-hand experience of bullying both a
child and as an adult. Many politicians even claimed that
Terry’s Bill was a “gay bill” (Morrison, 2012) meant only to
support the LGBT community.
The Maine Family Policy Council Citizen Action Center even
sent out an action alert claiming “LD 1237 was drafted by the
Civil Rights Project Director for GLAD (Gay and Lesbian
Advocators and Defenders), Mary Bonauto, whose agenda
promotes her ideology rather than just protecting students from
bullying” (2011).
It took almost two years before both sides of the aisle could be
satisfied.

11. But thanks to many of the Maine Legislators who worked hard
and responded in letters and e-mails to my desperate plea:
Senator Lois Snowe Mello Rep. Beth Turner
Rep. Don Pilon Rep. Ryan Harmon
Senator Jon Courtney Rep. Adam Goode
Rep. Thomas Longstaff Rep. Ellie Espling
Rep. Mike Carey Rep. Maeghan Maloney
Rep. Gary Knight Rep. Mike Shaw
Rep. Alan Cassavant Rep. Denise Harlow
Rep. Sharon Treat Rep. Kim Monaghan-Derrig
Rep. Joan Welsh Rep. Terry Morrison
Rep. Peggy Rotundo Governor Paul LePage
“Bullying is now against the law.” (Morrison, 2012)

12. Recently, I had the pleasure of meeting and thanking
Rep. Terry Morrison in person when he graciously
accepted my invitation to speak at the Bouncing Out
Bullying Event in Bath, Maine sponsored by Teens of
America.
And I hope to continue our friendship as more
opportunities arise to work together to fight bullying
in Maine and beyond.