Teach your kids what really counts...

Bullying seems as though it is getting worse.  We should know better than to demean someone's character and uniqueness.  I heard a sad story yesterday...
A mom went shopping with her 9 year old son.  He was really excited to pick out his own clothes from Old Navy.  He ended up picking out a blue shirt with a Furby on it.  If you aren't certain what a Furby is, the picture is below.  The boy was so happy to have picked out his own clothing.  He felt like he was a boy, becoming a man!  Unfortunately, kids can be cruel, and in this case they were.  The boy wore his new shirt to school the next day and was called horrible names.  The kids taunted him and said he was wearing a "girly" shirt.  I won't list all the names he was called.  He came home in tears telling his mom the story and she was heart-broken and angry (as I would be).  Needless to say, the young boy does not want to wear that shirt again for fear of bullying.  How is this ok?  How is it allowed?  If I were the parents of the children that called him names, they would be in big trouble.  We have to teach our children that there are consequences to their bad behavior.  It seems common sense but why are so many parent's failing to do this?  sigh.