Youth

Bullying has been at the center of a national debate for the past few years and bringing awareness to the plight of the bullied has been the mission of several organizations.

So when a high school student made an anti-bullying video for a class project she thought she was helping and she definitely did not think that her project would get her suspended from school.

Jessica Barba, a freshman at Longwood High school chose to make an anti-bullying video for a class project on persuasive promotion. The video was well received but after one complaint Barba was suspended from school, according to WPIX. more >>

A teen Tebowing during his graduation ceremony Saturday caused his diploma to be withheld by Florida school officials, who didn't want the high school senior's actions to be an "inspiration" for other antics.

Chuck Shriner, 17, of Bishop Verot's Catholic school, was bet $5 by his friends that he wouldn't go on stage and imitate the popular pose of the New York Jets' Christian quarterback. They underestimated him; he Tebowed on stage- dropping to one knee to pray- while parents and students erupted in laughter.

"I just thought it was fun," the teen told Naples News. "I was just doing it to make graduation memorable." more >>

A Miami high school has come under question after a failed attempt to keep its students safe resulted in the school's prom being scheduled alongside a porn convention.

School officials were aware that the senior prom had been scheduled at the same time and venue as the "Exxxotica Expo" pornography convention, but decided that the two events could run concurrently without conflict. Parentswho were dropping children off at the event Saturday night, however, did not appreciate the sudden surprise.

"Oh no I don't like that," Loise Carter told CBS 4 in Miami, as she dropped her daughter off at the event. "That is terrible. I don't like it." more >>

An Ohio student who was once threatened with suspension for wearing a T-shirt that read "Jesus Is Not a Homophobe" is now free to wear that shirt to school, a court judgment determined.

Maverick Couch and the Wayne Local School District agreed to a court judgment, submitted Monday, in response to a suit brought by Couch's mother on behalf of her teenage son. The judgment also awarded the Couch family $20,000 in court fees and damages.

Patrick Dubbs, superintendent for the School District, told The Christian Post that the out-of-court agreement was preferable to a lengthy court battle over the suit. more >>

A toddler is lucky to be alive after his father put him in a dryer as a practical joke. The machine was accidentally turned on after the boy's father placed him in a front-loading dryer at a local laundromat.

Surveillance tapes show the moment the horrified parents realize the machine has turned on and frantically try to free their son. The automatic locks, however, kept the machine sealed shut with their son still inside. As the father tried to get help, others in the laundromat gathered to watch the spectacle.

One customer had the thought to push aside a table and attempt to unplug the machine from behind, and several minutes later the machine is turned off by the Laundromat's attendant. The parents then took their son to a local hospital and have stated that he is fine and only suffered minor injuries. more >>

Anti-bullying expert Paul Coughlin plans to teach the community leaders of values-based and faith-based organizations how to bring justice, mercy and compassion into the "theater of bullying" during a half-day seminar on Saturday.

Coughlin, founder of The Protectors, an organization aimed at equipping children, parents, and school officials against the rising trend of bullying, will be speaking at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif. The seminar and training session will be webcast for free from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. PDT.

Bullying is now the leading concern among parents and students – surpassing illicit sexual activity, drug use and gang activity, said Coughlin, citing a Harris Poll done in 2011. more >>