What you should know about Alex Boston and her fight to help protect kids from cyberbullying

Alex Boston is a fourteen-year-old student who was cyberbullied by her classmates and has filed one of the first cyberbullying lawsuits in Georgia.  Basically, some of Alex's classmates created a fake Facebook page about her and used it to bully her at school.  But because there is no bullying law that protects kids when they are not at school, Alex and her family have sued based on a defamation of character and infliction of emotional distress.  And they hope to hold the parents accountable because the parents are the ones providing the computers and internet service.

Pretending to be Alex on Facebook, her classmates would make racist and hurtful statements online.  When Alex showed up a school, her peers were really upset, and Alex went through a very difficult time.

Alex's lawyer said in a recent radio interview that she would like to see a new law in Georgia that would allow schools and juvenile courts the power to address cyberbullying.  Alex's motive is to change the reality for the next kid, and if she is successful, this lawsuit might go a long way to protecting kids.

The End of Cyberbullying Act was sponsored by six legislatures in Georgia, but it never made it out of the education committee.  Alex's father says the ultimate goal is to get a law passed, and one of the first steps is creating enough awareness that parents push for proposed legislation to at least get through committee where it can be reviewed and debated by the full legislature.  Often times, hearing testimony from kids who have experience bullying is critical to getting laws passed.  That was reason a law passed in Kentucky and the proposal never made it out of committee in Indiana.

Keep reading the PresBlog to find out what happens with Alex Boston and her fight to get a law passed in Georgia.  I'm getting really excited about the state pageant in June, and I'm really looking forward to the chance to talk to the judges about why we need a bullying law to protect our kids.  If we all take a stand and work together we can create communities full of Happy Kids and Safe Schools.

Getting ready for June and my trip to the state pageant

Being a local titleholder in the Miss America Organization is a great way to spend a year, and one of the best parts of being Miss Northwest Territory is getting to compete at the 2012 Miss Indiana Pageant in June.

As many of you know this will be my second trip to the Miss Indiana Pageant.  My state week experience last year was filled with great memories and I can't wait to find out what is in store for this year.  My most important memory from last year is of Faith, a little girl I met when the Miss Indiana contestants visited Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis, which is the only Children's Miracle Network hospital in Indiana.  You can read all about my adventures at the state pageant in 2011 by searching the PresBlog for my entries about state week from last June and July.

This year will be filled with multiple nights of preliminary competition, the state teen pageant, and finals at the end of state week, so be sure to let me know if you need tickets.  Don't worry if you wait till the last minute to go because I've got you covered.  During state week look for my signs on my hotel room door and at my autograph sponsor for a complete pageant schedule and ticket information.  Northwest Territory fans can get buttons and signs from Team Presley, so don't be shy about showing your support because I will make you proud.

You still have time to contribute to my CMN fundraising goal, so get in touch with me or search for me on the missamerica4kids.org website.