After student’s suicide, Peach County Schools defends how it addresses bullying

Nearly a month after 12-year-old Byron Middle School student Ava Little died by suicide, and amid mounting concerns from families and community members, the Peach County School District detailed how it handles reports of bullying.

Little killed herself Feb. 25 after what her family says was prolonged, unaddressed bullying at school, The Telegraph previously reported.

In a statement shared Monday, the district said it conducted a “thorough review” of its bullying response procedures and found many reported bullying incidents were mutual conflicts among students rather than behavior meeting Georgia’s legal definition of bullying: an imbalance of power, repeated behavior and “conduct that is severe, persistent and pervasive.”

Officials said that while not all conflicts meet this definition, it takes all student concerns seriously and works to address issues promptly, support students and promote positive relationships.

The district said issues tied to social media have increased, particularly among middle and high school students, and urged parents to stay involved in their children’s online activity.

Superintendent Jesse Davis said many “bullying-type behaviors” in the district happen outside school hours, but can carry over onto campus with in-person interactions. He added that the Peach County Sheriff’s Office helps investigate reports, especially serious incidents believed to occur off campus.

Davis said the district investigates threats that surface online if they are brought to officials’ attention, but its authority is more limited when conduct occurs entirely off campus and is not directly tied to a school.

“It’s very easy for us to be involved when bullying happens on a school-issued device or during school hours, or even when unkind or mean behavior occurs during school hours or at a school-sponsored activity,” Davis said. “That clearly gives us jurisdiction in those matters.”

PCSO Sheriff Robert Shannon said police have investigated factors regarding Little’s death and the case has been turned over to the Macon Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office for review. The DA’s office had not responded to The Telegraph by publication.

Parent resources, bullying report procedures

In response to community questions, the district created a resource page outlining its bullying policies and introduced Parent ProTech, a digital tool to help parents monitor students’ social media use, said Keith Lauritsen , director of administrative services.

Woven throughout the process, Davis and Laurtisen said, is communication with the parents or guardians of both the student accused of bullying and the student reporting it, to resolve concerns early.

“The most positive outcomes occur when schools and families work together,” the district said. “When concerns are shared, we appreciate receiving specific details and all available evidence.”

Some Middle Georgia residents online have criticized the district’s recent response as inadequate and lacking accountability.

When asked how the district responds to concerns that bullying is not handled well, Lauritsen said parents should maintain open communication with schools.

“If there’s something they’re concerned about, they need to keep contact with the school. If they don’t feel like their needs are being met at the school, they can contact the district office, and we’ll make sure they are being addressed,” he said. “We never want to discourage parents from contacting us.”

“We’re all just kind of angry’

Peach County Coroner Kerry Rooks confirmed Little died by suicide on Feb. 25.

Before the district’s released statement on March 23, Little’s aunt, Paige Day, said the family is frustrated with what she described as an insufficient response from the school. S

“More than anything, I think we’re all just kind of angry right now that this is still happening,” Day said. “We’re at a point now that children are losing their lives or trying to take their lives.”

Day called on school district officials to discipline and remove the alleged bullies from campus and enforce the district’s anti-bullying policies, saying “nothing’s been done” to protect students. She said Little’s parents went to the school multiple times and made administrators aware of the issue before her death.

“They were harassing her,” Day said of the bullies. “They would tell her her hair was frizzy, so she straightened it. Her teeth were crooked, so she didn’t smile. Told her she needed to lose weight, so she wasn’t eating.”

Despite their grief, Day said, Little’s family is focused on preventing more tragedies.

“We want (the district) to keep those kids out of school or expel them, or send them to alternative school,” Day said. “We want (the students) to be held accountable, but we want them to learn from this and get whatever help they need as well. The last thing we want is another family to go through what we’ve been through.”

When asked whether district officials were aware of what Ava was experiencing, or whether her parents had informed the school, Davis said the most he could say was that the district conducted a thorough review of all records related to bullying reports for all students.

“That review confirmed we have strong and consistent practices in place,” he said.

Davis also said he could not comment on student matters, including any disciplinary actions for involved students, citing the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Rights Act.

“We are always going to respect privacy laws and confidentiality. In doing so, sometimes you aren’t able to give people information they would like to hear, even for reassurance. We just can’t do that.

“We just ask people to communicate with us when they’ve got the questions and trust the caring adults we have in the school district that come to work every day to help kids,” Davis said.

This story was originally published March 24, 2026 at 8:25 PM.