Students, faculty and staff rallied to put a stop to bullying at a forum at Georgia Perimeter College’s Clarkston campus last week.

Featured speakers included Monique Rivarde, mother of slain teen Bobby Tillman, and April Tatum, mother of Elijah Douglas, a 12-year-old who died from an accidental gunshot wound last October. Since Rivarde’s son’s death last November, she has made it her task to raise awareness of bullying in her son’s memory.

Her son was allegedly stomped to death in a random attack by four teenagers at a party as onlookers watched. Rivarde said the attacks were unwarranted.

“No reason would ever be good enough for [the four teenagers] to choose my child and to beat him to death when they didn’t even know his name,” she said.

Well-loved by many teachers and fellow students, April Tatum said her son became a target because of his kindness. Tatum wasn’t aware of the instances of bullying until her son’s death.

“I had no clue that my child was being bullied because he loved everyone, he stayed consistent in all the fun that he wanted to have, he told us he loved us every day, but in middle school things change,” Tatum said. “He felt that it would be better to kill people with kindness and eventually everyone would change.”

Other speakers included bullying survivor Chris Gerkin, educator and author Herschelle Adams and the college’s Director of the Department of Public Safety Nicholas Marinelli.

Marinelli hopes to make anti-bullying a priority at the college in the future.

“There are 27,000 of us at Georgia Perimeter,” Marinelli said. “Of that 27,000 there is about 100 plus police personnel. Starting tonight, bullying will have an absolute high priority on our list of public safety.”

Marinelli added the department will do their best to heighten awareness of the issue.

“I am committed to identifying and removing [bullying] wherever I see it or wherever it’s brought to my attention. We’re here and anytime you don’t feel safe, anytime you have a problem, please let us know.”