Student suspended after viral anti-bullying video hurts feelings of principal and teachers

LEBANON, Tenn. (AP) - A Tennessee high school student's anti-bullying video has resulted in nearly 600,000 views on YouTube and a suspension for its creator.

Lebanon High School student Emily Gipson said school administrators accused her of "trying to incite violence" and gave her a two-day in-school suspension for the video entitled "Welcome to Lebanon High School," posted Jan. 22.

In the video, prompted by a classmate's October suicide, she asks students to treat each other better.

Principal Scott Walters told The Lebanon Democrat he can't discuss the 16-year-old's punishment, but said he took issue with the fact that the free-verse speech was recorded in a classroom without a teacher's permission. Gipson disputed that, saying she had two coaches' permission.

He also said the video hurt his feelings, and those of teachers, too.