April 30, 2009 by Tim Saunders

Teen actress Demi Lovato used social mini-blogging site Twitter to call on U.S. education chiefs to take urgent action against school bullies in a bid to curb teen suicides last week.

Her comments came after reading a story about an 11-year-old boy – Jaheem Herrera – who took his own life after being bullied at school in Atlanta last week.

“THIS is what verbal harassment can cause,“ she wrote in an impassioned plea. “Something HAS to be done. It honestly amazes me how schools refuse to take action in verbal abuse… they SAY they do, but this [is] what ends up happening. So, so sad.”

She went on to talk about her own experiences with bullying at school, experiences that eventually led to her being home-schooled.

“I can’t explain what I went through when I left public school to start home-schooling. One day I will. But right now… Just know what you say to someone can effect [sic] them for the rest of their life.”