Actually, from both a legal and social standpoint, you are incorrect. When a child is on school grounds, it IS the school's responsibility to provide a safe learning environment. And these days, that includes bullying. To say that the school system has NO liability for what happened is to take an issue that has many shades of gray and paint it in black and white. This is not a black and white issue. Is the school SOLELY to blame for this child's suicide? No. Clearly there are other factors, and I'm sure the school's lawyers will argue that the kid had numerous mental health difficulties that made him less capable of dealing with the bullying.

I understand where you are coming from. There are WAY too many frivolous lawsuits in this country, and there is a clear need for tort reform.
People need to take responsibility for their own actions and stop blaming McDonald's for their clogged arteries and heart attacks. Nobody forces you to eat a Big Mac. Same thing with tobacco companies. Nobody forces you to stick a cancer stick in your mouth,it's your own decision. We need to get back to individual accountability and put a common sense limit on this idea that you can get rich by suing someone on a whim.

However, in this particular case, it looks like a lawsuit would have some merit. Bullying is no longer viewed as a rite of passage that everyone has to go through. In the last ten years parents have demanded more action from school authorities to address this issue. Especially after the 2 bullied kids at Columbine shot up half their school, bullying is no longer viewed as just a minor nuisance. Schools are now legally responsible for instituting anti-bullying programs and for dealing swiftly and harshly with bullying incidents, including suspensions, expulsions, and parent conferences. Your argument that it has been around forever does not mean it's acceptable. Robbery has also been around forever, does that make it acceptable? I would not be surprised if this school winds up settling with the parents for an undisclosed sum before the case even goes to trial.

Just my $0.02.