bullying

The Root

Shaq Apologizes to Detroit Man With Rare Disorder

Former NBA star Shaquille O’Neal apologized to a Detroit man with a rare disorder after making fun of the man on Instagram. O’Neal tweeted Tuesday that he had “made a new friend” after calling Jahmel Binion to apologize for mocking the man’s selfie. Binion, who has ectodermal dysplasia which causes a reduced ability to sweat, missing teeth and abnormal hair growth, started an anti-bullying Facebook group, Hug Don’t Judge, after O’Neal’s original post. Read more.

The Washington Post

Autistic boy allegedly abused by two girls in St. Mary’s considered them friends, mom says

A Southern Maryland teen diagnosed with autism in elementary school still thinks two girls charged with continuously assaulting him are his friends, according to the boy’s mother. St. Mary’s County police say the 15 and 17-year-old girls allegedly assaulted the boy from December to February of this year, sometimes taping the assaults on their cell phones. The 16-year-old boy, however, does not appear traumatized by the situation. Read more.

Springfield (Mass.) Republican

Bullies target special needs students

Recent tragedies in Western Massachusetts have reminded us all that bullying can have heartbreaking consequences for students in our schools. For parents of special needs students, the threat of bullying is a particularly urgent concern. Unfortunately, these children are more likely to be bullied than their typically developing peers because they are different and because they are less likely to have the skills they need to seek assistance and avoid bullying.