Jamie Nabozny, who has traveled the country speaking out against bullying, was sponsored on campus by Across All Lines.
Regarding prevention, he emphasized adults must seek out young people because they see the bullying; they know who is involved and what could stop it. They have more answers than the adults, who do not have the inside eye.
While growing up in a small town in Wisconsin, Nabozny was heavily bullied for his sexuality. He eventually filed a lawsuit against his school that became a landmark case: Everyone has a right to feel safe while being educated.He said coming out as a homosexual in middle school was when the torture started. It continued throughout high school, escalating when he had surgery because of a savage beating.
In middle school, when the bullying started to become really bad, Nabozny said he attempted suicide by overdosing on pills, only to realize after he took them, he was not ready to end his life. He then told his mother, who rushed him to the hospital to have his stomach pumped.
The fact that a young boy was being bullied so much he attempted suicide was evidence in the later lawsuit.
Nabozny made it through middle school with fresh hope for his freshman year of high school. But nothing changed. He hitchhiked to the nearby Minneapolis, only to be taken home by his parents. Alternate education could not be afforded by Nabozny’s family, so he was forced to return to his own personal hell.
He endured for a while, but he was forced again to run away to Minneapolis. This time finding legal representation with Lambda Legal, Nabozny was urged to file a lawsuit against his school for doing nothing to stop the bullying. He remembered being indecisive about it until his mother said, “Jamie, you have to do this.”
So he did.
It was an important trial, more so than Nabozny ever imagined for he was setting a landmark for any child who was bullied for who he was. One of the most important witnesses in the case was Roy Grande, one of Nabozny’s former tormenters. Grande showed up in his prison jumpsuit (He was imprisoned for unrelated causes.) and was completely honest with every question.
Along with him was Grande’s mother, who was once called into the school office at the insistence of Nabozny’s parents. She remembered the principal did absolutely nothing but instead said, “If Jamie is going to act so openly gay, he should expect this.” The case was won and established that anyone, whether he is straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender, has a right to a safe education.
Nabozny now travels the country speaking out against bullying. “I don’t talk about gay rights,” he said, “I talk about bullying.” Nabozny said he understands why many young people do not want to come forward about being bullied and others don’t stop bullying. He is attempting to give young people the courage to stand up for themselves and others, as he did.
The movie “Bullied,” which was shown at LCCC, is based on Nabozny’s life and experiences. It can be found on his website, free, for schools to show to their students.