From the staff at The Post:

We at the North Platte Post rarely take sides on issues, but when it comes to bullying, we stand firm behind those who are bullied. In recent weeks, children as young as 12-years-old have committed suicide publicly using social media outlets like Facebook Live. We would recommend you Google these videos and watch them.  We don’t encourage you to watch the end result, but we do encourage you to listen to the pain that these children are experiencing because of their peers. One 12-year-old girl recently posted a two-hour video describing her pain before taking her own life online.  The problem is that most people don’t watch them and prefer to shove this epidemic to the back of their mind. Teachers, administrators, parents and law enforcement, our children are killing themselves! We have to stop this now!  We know it’s not an easy job but if we stand together and ensure that bullies will have consequences, we can make a difference.  The letter below was written to us from a parent of a student at a Lincoln County School. In order to protect them, we have removed their names.  We hear too many stories like this.  If the schools or police won’t tell your story, we will.  Please message us on Facebook or email [email protected].   

Received by The Post on January 28, 2017

My name is — and my son — goes to school in Hershey, NE. He is not a “Popular kid”. He is not an athlete. He is just your run of the mill average kid except for one thing. He is bullied.

There isn’t a day that goes by that he doesn’t come home from school upset. His fellow students may not think they are causing any harm or that they are just kidding, but the fact is that this so-called “kidding” is harmful. We have had numerous conversations with the administration about this problem but the problem continues and he gets a backlash if he reports a student about the harassment. Not only does this harm his self-esteem but it is affecting his grades as well.

As a parent, you try your hardest to shield your children from harm but as it sits, my hands are tied. I myself can not stop “Your Children” from hurting my child within the grounds of our public school system. That’s why I am posting this. I need everyone’s help to stomp out bullying. I’m sure there are many parents out there that are aware that their children are bullies but refuse to step in and teach them that this is not right. I have heard teachers say that my son needs to toughen up. Well, maybe you teachers need to toughen up and be aware that you are part of the problem.

These episodes not only happen in the hallways, on the playground or off campus, but right under your nose in the classroom. What you are teaching my son is not going to make a difference if he quits school or worse yet, commits suicide because of the constant bullying?

To all the students that may happen to read this, [my son] is a great kid. He is supportive and a loyal friend. He has some pretty amazing talents. Get to know him, give him a chance. Don’t contribute to him possibly becoming one of the statistics

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Brick-and-mortar business owners are pushing for two similar bills meant to force online retailers to collect Nebraska state sales tax.

Dozens of retailers and advocates spoke Friday at a legislative committee hearing on bills that would require retailers to collect the sales tax or send detailed records to customers and the state to ensure customers pay the tax.

Nebraska law already requires customers to pay sales tax on online purchases through their annual tax returns, but few do. The state Department of Revenue estimates either bill would generate an additional $30 to $40 million per year in revenue.

Online retailer Amazon announced last month it will start collecting sales taxes on purchases in the state.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — An adviser to a University of Nebraska-Lincoln fraternity says allegations of vulgar comments made by its members during the Women’s March on Lincoln are false.

Adviser Joe Skradski of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity chapter at the university says an internal investigation into those allegations turned up no wrongdoing. Skradski says the allegations have created an “onslaught of criticism” that harms the fraternity’s reputation.

The university is currently conducting a Title IX investigation after many people complained that 21 fraternity members made vulgar and sexually harassing comments at participants in the Women’s March on Jan. 21. Nicole Church of Lincoln says she heard “no means yes” chanted at marchers, as well as derogatory statements about female genitalia.

The university is looking at individual students, not the fraternity as a whole.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — School choice advocates are urging Nebraska lawmakers to approve a tax credit that would reimburse donors for every dollar they give to scholarship funds that send students to private schools.

The bill presented to a legislative committee on Thursday would add Nebraska to a list of 17 states with similar tax credits, including Iowa, Kansas and South Dakota.

Sen. Jim Smith of Papillion says he introduced the measure to help more families afford a private education if they choose. The state would cap the total amount of tax credits at $10 million in 2018, an amount that would increase annually if more than 90 percent of the tax credits are claimed in the previous year.

Some senators say it’s a backdoor way to provide state funding for private schools.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Gov. Pete Ricketts has approved a new protocol for carrying out death sentences in Nebraska.

The protocol announced Thursday gives the state corrections director more flexibility to choose and obtain lethal injection drugs.

The old protocol required the use of three drugs to render inmates unconscious, paralyze their muscles and stop their breathing and heart. It had never been used in Nebraska because of repeated legal challenges and the state’s inability to acquire sodium thiopental, one of the required drugs.

Corrections officials had originally proposed a change that would have allowed drug suppliers to remain hidden from the public. The newly approved protocol allows officials to acquire the drugs from the department’s pharmacy or “any other appropriate source.” The confidentiality provision has been removed.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Opponents of the Keystone XL pipeline in Nebraska are planning to convene in anticipation that President Donald Trump will approve the Canada-to-Texas project.

The group Bold Nebraska is hosting a community meeting Monday afternoon in O’Neill to discuss their options.

Bold Nebraska played a critical role in organizing opponents of the pipeline in the state and keeping the project from moving forward. The meeting will follow a court hearing involving landowners who are still in a legal fight with TransCanada over attorneys’ fees.

The Keystone XL would travel from Canada through Montana, South Dakota and Nebraska, where it would connect with the existing Keystone pipeline network to carry crude oil to Texas Gulf Coast refineries.