Thread: WTF is wrong with people?

This poor kid's parents are having to sue because the school district (and the police apparently) won't do anything about their kid being bullied for years:

Bullying is everywhere, including here in Fayetteville, a city of 60,000 with one of the country’s better school systems. A decade ago a Fayetteville student was mercilessly harassed and beaten for being gay. After a complaint was filed with the Office of Civil Rights, the district adopted procedures to promote tolerance and respect — none of which seems to have been of much comfort to Billy Wolfe.

It remains unclear why Billy became a target at age 12; schoolyard anthropology can be so nuanced. Maybe because he was so tall, or wore glasses then, or has a learning disability that affects his reading comprehension. Or maybe some kids were just bored. Or angry.

Whatever the reason, addressing the bullying of Billy has become a second job for his parents: Curt, a senior data analyst, and Penney, the owner of an office-supply company. They have binders of school records and police reports, along with photos documenting the bruises and black eyes. They are well known to school officials, perhaps even too well known, but they make no apologies for being vigilant. They also reject any suggestion that they should move out of the district because of this.

Ridiculous. What could the kid possibly have done to deserve this abuse?

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/24/us...547&ei=5087%0A

That's fucked up. If my kid comes home like that I'm going to jail.

That's a notice to all you other parents with a kid around 7.

Don't we pay school staff to watch out for this sort of thing? Start firing a supervisor for every incident of harassment or bullying and you can bet that they'd put a stop to it somehow.

Originally Posted by Solon

Don't we pay school staff to watch out for this sort of thing? Start firing a supervisor for every incident of harassment or bullying and you can bet that they'd put a stop to it somehow.

If only it were that easy. I think unionization of schools may make it difficult to have personnel fired. (I may be wrong). This sort of stuff is really an alarming trend. It is not just the bullying, you can lump that right in there with favoritism, with opportunites for some and not all, that sort of things. It is rampant in our country. You can damn near commit murder if you are an athlete and that goes from pros down to high school level. Books, you don't need to read, you play ball. That sort of stuff is all too alive and strong.

Originally Posted by Blueneck

This poor kid's parents are having to sue because the school district (and the police apparently) won't do anything about their kid being bullied for years:



Ridiculous. What could the kid possibly have done to deserve this abuse?

so this continued for years?
if so the kid shouldve said somthing. I take it is idiotic. I dont care how bad that beat him, he should have said something the FIRST time. Of course the other kids should be punished, but seriously, "billy" needs to grow some balls (sorry, I hear "gay" and I couldn resist..."needs to step up to the plate"? is that better?)

Originally Posted by metheron

If only it were that easy. I think unionization of schools may make it difficult to have personnel fired. (I may be wrong). This sort of stuff is really an alarming trend. It is not just the bullying, you can lump that right in there with favoritism, with opportunites for some and not all, that sort of things. It is rampant in our country. You can damn near commit murder if you are an athlete and that goes from pros down to high school level. Books, you don't need to read, you play ball. That sort of stuff is all too alive and strong.

Unionization of schools?! Well, maybe in some states. In AZ you wait all summer to find out if you're getting a contract offer. It's so easy to fire people it's ridiculous.

Kids bully because parents don't bother parenting - which is why most kids don't bully. But some parents decide to be a friend, a probation officer, or just don't give a shit. Then their kids never learn boundaries, learn they're a shit who can't be trusted, or just know they can't belong - and trouble starts. On the other hand - occasionally you just get a great parent with a very challenging kid.

As for bullying - it's the social norm. Look at discourse in this country - from sitcoms to new to reality shows. You see people shouting, being sarcastic, bullying, and laughing at people getting hurt. Kids don't have the judgement to not participate - the brain isn't comletely mature until the mid-twenties. In a culture that values courtesy, you don't have a much need to actively teach kids not to be discourteous. In a culture that values caring, you do see kids who care.

Schools need to implement anti-bullying curriculums -which makes them responsible in one more way for raising american children. Pay sucks, morale is low, there's no more creativity, only teaching to the test - and you have all the status of a sewer cleaner. So a lot of good teachers have left - and more are leaving in droves.

Originally Posted by jojo

Unionization of schools?! Well, maybe in some states. In AZ you wait all summer to find out if you're getting a contract offer. It's so easy to fire people it's ridiculous.

Wow, there aren't teacher unions in AZ? I figured they were all over.

I've always considered bullying to be one of those things that exists. Like a ritual of life. The sun, the moon, flatulence, and getting bullied or being the bully in school.

Its ridiculous. There needs to be a clean up of the public education system in this country. (Start paying teachers actually decent salaries for one so qualified people will look at it as a viable career choice).