Hi NorthStar, I sort of know how you feel...I have always felt inferior to everyone when I was in school. I am the youngest of my siblings (1 sister, 1 brother) and I always followed their footsteps in school. I am still known today as just my brother's brother cause I actually work in the same department as him, and my brother was known for his good work there. You need to show them that you are above them, by not becoming what they want you to. I know the kids in these public schools can be what seems to be truly evil. Even some of the teachers are absolutely horrific. Don't take to heart what they have to say. Listen to their words, and then say to yourself you are not going to let it affect you and you are going to be better than them. You don't need to take what they say seriously. They want to bring you down and see you fall because they are negative, want to destroy, and steal. You don't want to cut yourself, think about it, nothing good can possibly come out of that. I knew kids that cut themselves. Don't try to immediately get back at them either though, sometimes its better just to show them you are listening, but then just walk away. These kids we probably raised by parents that didn't give a sh** what their kids were doing/seeing/hearing. This is unfortunately the effect of what their parents have done. You need to try to reverse things, I'm really not the best person to know exactly what to tell you to do other than you need to somehow show these kids you aren't going to go down with them and you can show them you are an intelligent person.