ACTION

confronting the issue of four bullied students who

died by their own hands must get involved to end

bullying, an attorney for grieving

families said Monday. Some of the student deaths followed

bullying that was "incessant, it was constant, and the teachers

and the administrators for whatever reason took a hands-off

, laissez-faire approach and didn't get involved and stop this

at its inception," Ken Myers said on NBC's "Today" show.

Families of victims told the NBC show there is a frightening

pattern of bullying-related suicides in the district.

"They were little terrorists," Janis Mohat, whose son Eric

shot himself in 2007, said on "Today." "They flicked his

ear, they pushed him into lockers, they called him gay,

fag. The bullies went up to him and said, 'Why don't you

go home and shoot yourself? It's not like anyone

would care.'"

The Associated Press reported in detail Friday about the

deaths of four Mentor High School students between 2006

and 2008. Three were suicides, one an overdose of a

ntidepressants. All four students had been bullied.

The district would not comment for the story.

Mentor Superintendent Jacqueline Hoynes said in a

statement posted on the district's website over the

weekend that the strategy to combat bullying includes

having elementary school students pledge to stand

up to bullies and report them to adults.

"Our anti-bullying programs have been in place before

the state mandated anti-bullying programs and policies

," the statement said.

Anti-bullying committees were set up in each school

building to identify the causes and deal with potential

victims, bystanders and adults, the statement said.

"Throughout the schools, the seriousness of bullying is

highlighted in class meetings, rules-reviews, parent

nights, motivational speakers, and in visible reminders

up and down the hallways," the statement said.

Myers said the district had seemed to take a hands-off

approach to bullying.

"They can have assemblies and all sorts of lessons that

they teach the kids, but probably the most important part

is what the teachers and administrators are doing when

they see this sort of thing happening," Myers said.

Two families are suing the suburban Cleveland district, claiming

their children were bullied to death and the school did nothing

to stop it. Hoynes said in the statement she had been advised

by the school attorney to remain silent on the lawsuits.

"But, I want to reassure the Mentor students, families, and staff

we will continue to address the mental health needs of our

students and anti-bullying initiatives in our schools," her statement said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

[My belief, teachers who fail to intervene when a child is being

vicitimized is just as guilty as the victimzer. There is no excuse.

Same goes for anybody else, fail to step in when someone is

being victimized? Your guilty of supporting a bully. You too need

to be charged with a felony. Aiding and abetting]