Joel Morales was a short and intelligent twelve year old boy who lived in East Harlem. He tragically took his own life on May 29, 2012 after being ruthlessly tormented about his shortness, lofty IQ and the fact that his father passed away a few years ago (really cruel).
From the reports I read, he was a nice kid that stayed out of trouble and was seemingly well liked, save for the bullies that targeted him and hunted him down where he lived.
His mother had him transferred to a different school after the incessant bullying and repeated complaints to the school. The principal had an intervention (supposedly) with Joel and his family along with the bullies and their parents to get the bullying to stop; it did, but only temporarily.
Joel stood about 4'9" and people say he looked like he was eight instead of twelve. So that, along with his passive, nice demeanor, made him the target of these kids.(Apparently, short and nice represents weak in these kids eyes). They had followed him to his new school, showed up at his door to pummel him with rocks, a pipe and taunted him about the loss of his father.
Apparently, not enough was done to protect him, though his family did what they could; including taking out a restraining order/order of protection and trying to move out of the housing they were in but were denied.
Sadly, Joel's story will disappear from the eye of the media, as do most bullying stories pertained to children who don't fall under the heading of a protected class. The indifference on the part of the media makes me sick. Where's the outrage when it comes to the short and overweight being bullied? I am sorry but it is just not there. The national media and the nation erupted over Tyler Clementi, Jamey Rodemeyer and Phoebe Prince. Yet, not the same reaction when Daniel Scruggs or Jon Carmichael were lost to bullying. The same will end up happening here too. That apathy, not only on the media's part but society's as well, is probably a contributing factor as to why this happens in the first place.
That is almost as tragic as the loss of Joel Morales.
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