Hundreds turn out in Pittston to confront recent teen suicides
By: Joe Holden
Updated: September 27, 2012
Yatesville, Luzerne County- Filled to capacity, a crowd in the auditorium at Pittston Area High School struggled with a wide range of emotion following what the superintendent called an unbelievable past couple of days.
Two Pittston Area students dead from suicide. Four in all across Luzerne County. Parents pressed school leaders for a plan to combat the issue. Most notably, what would be done about chronic reports of bullying in Pittston Area schools. With only a few weeks on the job, Dr. Michael Garzella pledged to root out any and all instances of bullying.
Even though prosecutors have yet to find any evidence suggesting a link to bullying in any of the four teen suicides, staff of the county's district attorney's office say their investigation continues. They encouraged any one with information to approach any one of the number of detectives present at the meeting
Blindsided by accusations that teachers often do nothing to stop bullying, Garzella said discipline would be meted out to both children and adults alike. He issued a zero-tolerance position on bullying.
The meeting lasted nearly three hours and was not without critics, some of whom claimed there were no real answers given.
Two Pittston Area students dead from suicide. Four in all across Luzerne County. Parents pressed school leaders for a plan to combat the issue. Most notably, what would be done about chronic reports of bullying in Pittston Area schools. With only a few weeks on the job, Dr. Michael Garzella pledged to root out any and all instances of bullying.
Even though prosecutors have yet to find any evidence suggesting a link to bullying in any of the four teen suicides, staff of the county's district attorney's office say their investigation continues. They encouraged any one with information to approach any one of the number of detectives present at the meeting
Blindsided by accusations that teachers often do nothing to stop bullying, Garzella said discipline would be meted out to both children and adults alike. He issued a zero-tolerance position on bullying.
The meeting lasted nearly three hours and was not without critics, some of whom claimed there were no real answers given.
