PC: Freepik
The death of a girl could have been prevented if people had only paid attention.
In North Texas, a young girl who had taken her life by suicide is being investigated, after her mother stated she was being bullied throughout school due to her immigration status. With CNN news informing that the girl’s classmate began throwing, “insults at her, claiming her family was in the US illegally.”
Eleven-year-old Jocelynn Rojo Carranza died on February 8, in her home in Gainesville, Texas after her mother found her unresponsive, according to their online obituary.
After the death, the girl’s mother, Marbelle Carranza, was told by the Gainesville Independent School District that her daughter had received school counseling for the bullying. Allowing her mother to shed new light on her daughter, although Carranza didn’t know the full depths of everything, all she had heard according to CBS was that the “bullying was about their immigration status.”
However, this fuels Carranza as she reports to CBS and speaks about the want and realization of others to hear about this story stating, “I want justice for my child. I want this not to go unhandled. If there are more students out there, more kids out there that are going through it as well, pay attention. The school needs to pay attention, pay attention to the students to report what’s going on.”
With the height of this new heartbreaking case, this should serve as a wake-up call for many families, school administrators, and school educators. At a young age, everyone has been taught that bullying is unacceptable.
Despite that, especially when left unaddressed, bullying could have devastating consequences. And it is the responsibility of the schools and families for the child to feel safe, supported, and listened to.
Schools should take more proactive steps in preventing bullying, than simply reacting after the damage was done. Accompanied by open lines of communication, from the students, teachers, and parents are crucial.
If a child is being bullied, the parents should immediately be informed, to allow them to take action before anything escalates. Moreover, schools should implement higher anti-bullying policies, providing clear guidelines on the ways to help intervene and support surrounding students.
On the other hand, for parents, this tragedy could be a reminder to stay engaged with their children, recognize the signs of distress, and foster a warm environment where their children feel safe to talk about their struggles.
It is important not to assume that schools will handle every issue, instead active parent involvement is key to preventing any more tragic losses like Jocelynn’s.
Allowing us to bring attention to this case, is important in pushing for meaningful change throughout society. No child should suffer in silence and no family should endure such pain as Jocelynn’s family. Jocelynn’s story must not be forgotten, this is our call to action.