An unfortunate situation has occurred over the last few days due to another tragic example of social media bullying. Matthew Burdette, 14, is in the news for committing suicide over a viral video of him allegedly masturbating. This incident was said to have occurred when Matthew’s teacher reportedly kicked the student out of class for chewing on sunflower seeds. Matthew’s removal from his class forced him to wound up in a bathroom while waiting for his next period (class) to begin. In the bathroom, Matthew was recorded by another student who placed the video on social media sites such as SnapChat & Vine. Matthew Burdette’s parents, Timothy & Barbara Burdette, have recently filed a $1 Million suit on the California School District, The San Diego Unified School District, for not preventing the daily harassment Matthew experienced after the viral leaked around his school.
This is a very sad situation to see a young male have to experience this type of “shame” and to get reminded daily via an unfortunate video that went viral. One of the biggest problems that only millenials will understand is how sudden one’s reputation or popularity can be diminished when negative videos or pictures are circulated amongst one’s peers. Most of today’s social media users on sites like Vine, SnapChat, Twitter & Instagram pride themselves with finding the “funniest” videos of the week. And likewise, the demand for videos such as Matthew are those that will circulate the fastest.
We at Product of Society will definitely hold the Burdette family in our prayers, we hope to one day be an entity that counter-acts unfortunate situations similar to that of Matthew’s. #STOPSOCIALBULLYING
[ CBS News Excerpt]
–“According to their claim, Matthew, who was on the water polo and wrestling teams, was kicked out of class on Nov. 15 for eating sunflower seeds. The teacher didn’t give him anywhere to go, so he wandered the halls and ended up in a boys’ bathroom, the claim said.
Another student peeked over a bathroom stall and videotaped Matthew, allegedly masturbating. That student posted the video on social media, including SnapChat and Vine, and it quickly went viral among students at schools through the district, the claim said.
“From the moment the video was posted, Matthew was mercilessly bullied, harassed and teased by students who had seen the video. This continued for the next two weeks,” the claim said.
The parents said officials with the San Diego Unified School District were aware of the video and the bullying.
Two weeks after the video went public, on Nov. 29, Matthew committed suicide. His family said he left a note saying he could not “handle school” and had “no friends.”
“Matthew took his life as a result of the embarrassment and humiliation caused by bullying related to the video and its distribution,” the claim said.
The school district rejected the Burdettes’ claim, giving the family six months to file a lawsuit, according to U-T San Diego and the Los Angeles Times.
The school district issued a statement Monday saying the safety of its students was “a top priority.”
“The district also adheres to the privacy and confidentiality laws and regulations related to students, families and ongoing investigations. For this reason, the district cannot provide details about Matthew Burdette’s death. Our hearts and thoughts continue to be with his family and loved ones,” the statement said.
KGTV, Channel 10 in San Diego, which first reported on the claim, said the Burdettes believed the boy who took the video had been arrested. The San Diego district attorney’s office declined to provide details on the case but said a hearing on the matter is set for July 23 in juvenile court.”–
Product Of Society 