National nonprofit from Texas launches review after Massachusetts 8th grader commits suicide allegedly over bullying, services announced

A national nonprofit dedicated to student advocacy & violence prevention, released Monday afternoon out of Dallas, Texas, that they have now launched an independent review of bullying and students mental health care at Peabody Public Schools following a recent suicide death of an 8th grade student, Jason Bernard, after allegedly enduring ongoing bullying & a, “Culture of Violence,” at his Massachusetts school. 

The nonprofit foundation noted that it has launched a review of the school initially after learning of the case from a teacher of the deceased student and several additional families who have now come forward to file additional complaints with the foundation.

Officials noted that in addition to its independent review of the incident involving the specific students case & others at the school, it is making requests for an official state board of education review of the school and districts overall student safety & mental health crisis response protocols.

Some parents have approached the nonprofit student advocacy group noting that bullying and escalating student violence has gone unaddressed by  has gone unaddressed for some time.

The national nonprofit student advocacy and violence prevention group, formed in 2022 in response to the mass school shooting in Uvalde, Texas who also has been involved in the case of bullied NJ student, Felicia Loalbo Melendez, who committed suicide allegedly due to bullying at her school – is now questioning both the legality and the empathy behind the school’s actions in Bernard’s case and the now additional cases presented Monday to the foundation. Foundation officials say more needs to be done immediately to address the overall bullying & student conduct at the school & district level.

Founder & President of the foundation, Daniel Chapin, noted in the release that the recent case joins several he has been involved in nationally reflecting a growing problem of bullying related student suicide deaths throughout the nation’s schools; including the recent case of San Antonio, Texas student, Trey Borak who committed suicide following ongoing unaddressed bullying at his College Station High School & the ongoing violence at Garfield Heights School District In Ohio.

According to an obituary, Bernard “was to graduate next month with his eighth-grade class at the Higgins Middle School in Peabody. Jason had a passion for track and was a member of the school’s track team. A lifelong resident of Peabody, Jason enjoyed playing video games with his friends but most of all spending time with his family. He was a loving son, brother, uncle, nephew, cousin and friend who will be missed by all who knew him.”

His funeral service will be held at the Conway Cahill Brodeur Funeral Home, 82 Lynn St., Peabody, Friday at 10:00 a.m. Relatives and friends are invited to attend. Visiting hours on Thursday from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Burial in the Cedar Grove Cemetery, Peabody.