Tennessee Lawmaker Attributes Teen Suicides To Bad
Parenting

post from ThinkProgress on 25 April 2012 10:00:04 AM. © ThinkProgress

TN State Rep. Jeremy Faison (R)

A state representative from Tennessee attributed the recent wave of teen suicides to poor parenting during a speech in the Tennessee House last night, as he made his case against a cyber bullying bill.

?We?ve had some horrible things happen in America and in our state, and there?s children that have actually committed suicide, but I will submit to you today that they did not commit suicide because of somebody bullying them, ” State Rep. Jeremy Faison (R) said. “They committed suicide because they were not instilled the proper principles of where their self-esteem came from at home.? Watch it:

The Democratic party immediately condemned Faison’s remarks, tweeting, ?Did Rep. Faison just say that kids commit suicide because they haven?t been instilled with the right values? What a disgrace.? Faison himself issued an apology: ?After reviewing my comments on the House Floor today, I regret what was a poor choice of words. My true intent was to protect children from becoming criminals. Suicide has touched my family, and I would never want a parent or family member to feel they were responsible for such an unimaginable tragedy.?

The bullying measure — which made small changes to a law dealing with bullying and harassment — passed the House in a vote of 76 to 14.

Two recent suicides — in Cheatham and Smith counties — have attracted wide media attention in the state after the students complained of being bullied over their sexual orientation.

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http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2012/04/25/470756/tennessee-suicides/