Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - It was an emotional outpouring at Wednesday night's Buffalo School Board meeting. The family of 12-year-old Dariel Rivera Reyes pleaded with the district to take action, after the sixth grader took his own life on May 17.
The family said the boy, who attended Martin Luther King Jr. school, on High Street, was subjected to relentless bullying online, at school and at his own home. They were joined by other parents, teachers and students in calling for change.
Dariel's grandmother, who only speaks Spanish, spoke passionately before the school board, through teacher Alexandra Gomez.
“She stands here humbly pleading that change comes. That actions are taken to address bullying to implement changes so that no other family will have to go through this,” said Gomez.
"Dariel was my brilliant student and I’m so sorry, I’ve tried to hold it together,” Gomez explained to the Board.
Talia Rodriguez, an advocate for the Hispanic community, spoke with WBEN about the tragedy involving Dariel.
"As a family member and community member, I'm devastated. I think what is going on now is a larger conversation being led by the family, trying to figure out what we can do to strengthen support that is available to students
that are navigating situations similar to Dariel's."
Rodriguez said she was not familiar with the circumstances in this particular case of bullying, but she said she has learned that if someone is bullying it's because they are experiencing some sort of pain themselves.
After the board meeting, Rodriguez said she spoke with a couple of school board members who expressed sincere remorse.
"This is a larger conversation that we need to have. What are the ways that we can support our children and what are the things that we need to do to lift up mental health support so that there are better resources for everyone involved."
Rodriguez said her son attended Buffalo Public Schools and she remembers that at one time mental health clinics were embedded within the schools. That was pre-Covid. She said it's time to reassess that.
Dariel's death is especially troubling to Rodriguez because in April, a month before Dariel's death, she organized a day of silence against bullying in schools. "We were with the Latino community at the Belle Center. I was asking how many bilingual counselors are there and I fear it will never be enough. This is an everyday conversation and a hard conversation that we need to have," added Rodriguez.