Kids Bullied Her Because She Looks Different. So She Did This.
Haley Anderson, a high school sophomore from Boone, Iowa, was born with Treacher Collins syndrome.
Treacher Collins affects a person’s physical appearance, and because of this Haley was bullied often at school, KCCI News reported. Students would even refuse to sit next to her on the bus.
But Haley came up with a creative way to combat bullying at her school — she illustrated books about the daily challenges of people with disabilities.
“Wade the Turtle” and “Justine the Cat” are the two books Haley has illustrated so far. They use animal characters to tell stories of acceptance and tolerance for all. Both are available for purchase on Amazon.
“I’m hoping when the books get out that kids, younger kids in the classrooms will rally around their friends instead of bullying their friends, and that’ll carry up on through high school, and that’ll carry up on through life,” Cathie Gebhart, the co-author of the books, told KCCI News.
Go here to get more on Haley’s story.
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Melissa McGlensey is the former News Editor at The Mighty. Her writing can also be seen in Ms. Magazine, on the Ms.Magazine blog and in The Huffington Post’s Good News, Comedy and Impact sections. Melissa is also a New York City comedian who does sketch, improv and stand up. She is passionate about social justice, politics, Thai food, literature, disability rights and more. She is currently in a long-distance relationship with her cat, Sneakers, who lives in California. You can follow her on twitter at @OhHeyMeliss.
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