Thousands rally behind anti-bullying message on Facebook

By Staff Writer

A Facebook website that is dedicated to the memory of a teen who committed suicide has become an anti-bullying center for thousands of online users.

North Dakota-based website Inforum.com reports that approximately 1,900 people have joined the Facebook page named after Cassidy Joy Andel, who hanged herself last week as a result of bullying, law enforcement officials said.

Messages have flooded the social networking site in an attempt to spread the word about the negative repercussions of bullying. One post challenged other individuals to make a T-shirt in Andel's honor as a way to tell her story, while another urged people to contact legislators about implementing anti-bullying statutes.

One Facebook post stated that community members were working with lawmakers, administrators, parents and students to draft legislation called Cassidy's Law in an effort to combat bullying, the news provider reports. Another message suggested the creation of rubber wrist bands in Andel's honor.

According to a survey conducted by the Cyberbullying Research Center, a total of 7.5 percent of students reported being harassed online in 2009.