Dad’s Facebook Post With Bullied Son Goes Viral, And How [Video]


matthew bent

One Wisconsin dad probably didn’t expect a humble photo of him literally standing behind his son in an anti-bullying post to go viral on Facebook, but such is the power of social media.

Matthew Bent posted a photo of himself standing behind his son, Shiloh, who was “bodyslammed 3 times” by a bully after he entered a section of his school called “the lion’s den” by law enforcement authorities. Bent says that neither the school nor authorities have done anything substantive regarding his son’s bullying, which inspired him to take the story to social media.

matthew bent

matthew bent facebook

The post was originally published on March 26, and has since gone viral with nearly 1 million likes and shares. Additionally, Bent’s anti-bullying photo has attracted national attention, resulting in an interview on the TODAY show.

matthew bent cartoon

Bent has partnered with the anti-bullying organization Stop the Hate, Spread the Hope, and is encouraging parents everywhere to tell their children that it’s okay to tell them if they are being bullied.

After the story received national attention, the school district in question reportedly looked into the incident. “We, as a school district, understand the deep frustration that the father, the mother and the son, as well as the community, are feeling about an incident like this, as well as perhaps others,” said a spokesperson. “However, it is not fair to say that River View Middle School and the Kaukana-area school district are protecting bullies and ignoring the victims.”

The spokesperson added that “the matter has been brought to a satisfactory resolution.”

Check out Matthew and Shiloh Bent’s interview on the TODAY show below, and visit their Facebook page here to keep their anti-bullying effort strong.

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8 Comments

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  1. I like seeing stuff like this. If you bring awareness to an issue, the bullies will be forced into a spot-light in which they can experience shame, an important lesson.

  2. It makes me so sad that the father and his son had to go to these lengths to get this issue resolved. It should have been dealt with by the school the first time anything ever happened!

  3. What an amazing dad. Hopefully the momentum that this has generated will help make progress against widespread bullying, but I'm worried that it's deeply entrenched in our society's schools.

  4. This is beautiful and highlights the need for parents to be involved in their kids' lives. We need more people like this in the world!

  5. My friend is a 40 year old that decided to pursue her love of photography and so started a course to learn and created a facebook page to share her journey. A local apparent 'Professional Photographer' decided to target her once she showed signs of talent and the nature of his bullying and harassment has gone on now for 2 years solid. He does not act alone, as most bullies don't, but has a pack of trolls that slander her about town, post crass insults and slander about her over the internet. He sends her menacing Emails, Texts and Messages as well as posts and comments plastered all over public forums on the internet riddled with vile insults and abuse.

    My friend is a Community minded and spirited person, recently working in Mental health Rehabilitation until made redundant due to massive funding cuts (even this they have taken low and cheap shots at) She was the founder and organiser of a major flood relief festival for our region bringing together many artists, musicians, small businesses and community groups, but is not one for the limelight. She started a local photography interest group to try and bring together people with the common interest of photography to learn from each other, share and support and encourage one another.

    I take my hat off to her for what garbage she has to wade through and what she has attempted to ignore for her entire journey. Just recently after more menacing emails and online slander attacks she decided to take a stand and publicly stand up to him and his toxic group of friends, where she has now copped even more abuse. As expected he has tried to twist the events onto her being the bully for posting his name on her page (the same one they are constantly trying to sabotage) and for deleting and blocking anyone associated with him that were acquaintances of hers for mere networking purposes. Things have sadly got drastically worse.

    As you know, generally when you stand up to bullying you stand alone, and she was prepared for this. sadly MOST people don't like to support the victim as they are:
    1. too scared they will become targeted themselves.
    2. they fob such disgusting behaviour off as none of their business and don't want to get involved, and would rather sit on the fence.
    3. They selfishly think by keeping in with the bully (should they have connections or skills) it will help further their own goals and endeavours.

    She has had a number of personal messages sent to her of others that have also sadly fallen target to this same group, some having been run out of town for it, some having shut down their businesses from it. but whom do not wish to speak out for fear of things being stirred up again for them.

    Police don't wish to get involved in Facebook bullying unless direct threats are made to that persons safety and Facebook do little to monitor and remove it.

    Here is her photography page:
    https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ji%C3%80hn-Art-Fotografie/207247165957381?fref=ts

    Please feel free to spread the word also and show her some support, even if from strangers, as you know it is a lonely road to stand up to bullying.

    She has taken screen shots of online slandering, Emails, Texts etc and I am considering posting them to a group page viewable by the public to let people know what this professional is really like behind closed doors.

    It's so sad the world is like this.

    This is a FABULOUS site! The world needs MORE superhero's and less fence sitters!

    THANK YOU I will be sure to share it.

  6. There needs to be more parents like this, willing to stand up for their children. It's important to teach your child to stand up for themselves and fight their own battles, but bullying is a completely different area.