Haleyun

Writer 1: "We really should get Dan to do something drastic that he cannot come back from but we got to be able to keep him in the show to torment the cast of characters. What do we do?"

Writer 2: "I got it: divisive subject matter that paints a black-and-white picture of a nuanced atmosphere and completely throws sensitivity to the wind."

Peyton certainly had reason to cry this episode but the writers have had her bawling her eyes out in every episode so it holds little sincere weight here. Plus, it was really just a vehicle to enflame the lover's triangle between Lucas, Brooke, and Peyton. The writers did not even try to set up a fair representation of how all kids are bullied at some point, regularly through public schools, but most "get past it". Jimmy's character was a throw away character to show that the writers/show creators/actors are completely detached from the public, and still play themselves up as the main characters regardless of what tragedy they instigated.