Lee Hirsch's documentary "Bully" put student harassment into the national spotlight this year, but the topic didn't need a new film to make headlines over the last few months. Just this past week, breaking news stories have focused on bullied kids arming themselves with a stun gun and machete.
Here are five weapons that have appeared in our news feed over the past month, along with the stories about why their owners felt compelled to use them.
1. Stun Gun: Arsenal Tech High School in Indianapolis suspended 17-year-old Darnell Young this week, following an incident where he fired a stun gun into the air to scare aware attackers, according to an Indianapolis Star report.
2. Machete: A 13-year-old Florida student was arrested last week after allegedly taking a machete with him to a bus stop and brandishing it in front of a group of children, The Huffington Post reported. The boy claimed that he was standing up in defense of his 10-year-old friend.
3. BB Gun: A 10-year-old boy with ankle braces was charged last month after allegedly bringing a toy gun to a suburban Cincinnati elementary school, the Associated Press reported. He told the police he was being bullied because he wore ankle braces and was small for his age.
4. Pocket Knife: Although he never threatened to use it against anyone, a kindergartener at Elephant's Fork Elementary School was to have a pocket knife on his person, according to a story in The Virginian-Pilot.
5. Hand Gun: A 16-year-old girl from Waupaca High School in Waupaca, Wis., allegedly brought gun to school in her handbag, the Appleton Post-Crescent reported. She was was suspended pending expulsion and slated to undergo a mental health evaluation.