Local Mom Whose Bullied Son Committed Suicide Says Schools Not Doing Enough

WEST SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - Twelve-year-old boy Ronin Shimizu took his own life recently after he was bullied. One local mom says she knows all too well what Shimizu's parents of parents are going through. Her son was bullied and committed suicide, and she's worked for more than six years to make sure it doesn't happen to another child.

"He was exceptional and I know all moms say that about their kids. Michael would've made such a difference in this world," said Lisa Ford Berry, an anti-bullying advocate.

Berry still struggles.

"Michael was perceived to be gay," said Berry.

On September 15, 2008 on his 17th birthday, Michael Joseph Berry, who loved bowling, golf and poetry, shot himself to death at Mira Loma High School in Sacramento.

"Our children are beating each other up over sexual identity, whether it's real, perceived, questioning, it doesn't matter," said Berry.

Berry says her son was the victim of homophobic hate speech every day. And when she heard about a 12-year-old boy in Folsom who was bullied and took his own life, her first thought was: "And to think six years later we are still no further along and we all play lip service."

And when we asked her if our schools are doing enough to stop the bullying, she replied: "No, not by any half measure; neither are our legislators; neither is our government…No. Teachers don't get fired for turning a blind eye, superintendents don't get fired for ignoring it. Nothing happens."

What she learned since the day her son Michael committed suicide is this: "How cruel children are and how apathetically indifferent adults are."

Lisa and her husband have created a non-profit group called BRAVE, which stands for bullies really are violating everyone.

If you'd like more information, log onto bravesociety.org.

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