So what would you do in a case like this as a parent?

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/30/us/30bully.html?th&emc=th

Assuming of course you caught it before the conclusion of this incident.

In this unfortunate case it is too late.  The student bullies are being prosecuted for crimes.  The staff and faculty of the school are being reprimanded for not taking action.  And everyone is wondering what happened and how it could get this far.

How did it get to the point in our culture where children (yes, they are still children at that age) are able to enact their own modern day version of "The Lord of the Flies" right under the noses of responsible adults?  Aren't they supposed to crash on a deserted island in order to stoop to this level of barbarity?  Where were the parents?  Where were the teachers and administrators?  Where were even the student leadership?  Oh...  well, it appears they showed up for the vigil after it was all over.

I know that schools have their own social orders and their own cliques.  I know what it's like to look for the acceptance of your peers and to want to be liked.  I also know that schools don't exist in a vacuum or another dimension.  These students rode buses or were dropped off by parents, walked past teachers, librarians, and school nurses, they dumped their bags on the floor as they came in the house, sat on couches in living rooms texting their friends, and interacted with their families in a million small ways that probably contained clues that just shouted that something was wrong.  Now one is dead and nine may be criminals.

And it was all ignored.  And it is all tragic.

What would you do if your kid was being bullied?  Would you call someone?  Would you change schools?  Would you brush it off as highschool drama?  What if your kid is the bully... is that so much easier?  Do you laugh at the cruel jokes and feel grateful your child is in the "in crowd"?

Or would you even know it was happening?