A case in Fayetteville, Arkansas could prove very interesting as a family has sued a high school bully and may soon sue the school district over a prolonged and dangerous pattern of bullying directed against 15-year-old Billy Wolfe. It appears that the school district left this family few choices other than litigation after their son was repeatedly attacked as a type of collective sport for bullies in this high school — and school officials seemed remarkably passive and unsympathetic in the face of the resulting injuries (even after viewing the video below). Notably, the Wolfes are not alone in seeking legal action when school official fail to act.
At some point, high school bullies decided that Billy was the designated victim for the high school and made him a type of sport prey for punches and ridicule. A video shot by some boys on a cellphone shows how arbitrary the attacks could be. On the video, one of the boys announces that he is going to beat up Billy Wolfe and in front of his younger sister he walks up and suddenly punches him. For the video, click here
This appears to be the life Billy has had to live while trying to learn. The beatings were triggered years ago after Billy mentioned to his Mom that a kid had called teasing him about buying a certain sex toy. When his Mom called the boy’s parents, the boy showed Billy a list of 20 names the next day of boys who signed up to beat him.
One attack occurred in a bathroom. In another, it happened in shop class when a boy walked up and sucker punched Billy so hard he needed medical attention to stitch up his cheek. What is bizarre is that, despite the video above, the school suspended Billy.
The bullying then extended to the Internet. In a situation disturbingly like the Megan Meier case, here, Billy was made the subject of a vile Facebook page called “Every One That Hates Billy Wolfe.” The bullies put a picture of Billy’s face over an image of Peter Pan and wrote: “There is no reason anyone should like billy he’s a little bitch. And a homosexual that NO ONE LIKES.”
Not surprising, Billy is hardly flourishing at school.
This is not the first lawsuit involving Fayetteville and bullying. The district was previously sued after a student was savagely beaten for being gay. Parents in other school district have also turned to the court to force educators to take action and not simply treat bullying as a nature part of growing up. Click here and here and here and here.
Juries and courts are not buying the argument of educators that there is nothing that they can do. One obvious measure is to expel bullies. In one case, a Kansas boy harassed and bullied for being gay (he wasn’t) resulted in a $250,000 award. Dylan Theno, 18, filed the lawsuit in May 2004 against the Tonganoxie School District after years of bullying led him to drop out of school.
Such lawsuit may force educators to act with the threat of financial penalties. I have been a critic of one response, however: taking the victims out of the school and leaving the bullies, click here. As soon in the Meier case, bullying can resulted in terrible injuries or even deaths. It often results, as with Billy, in the destruction of a high school education — the most important stage of education for individuals.
The idea of suing the bully is a bit novel, but perhaps it will have a deterrent on those parents and other parents who fail to control their children. I do not believe that kids just spontaneously become bullies. The parents share responsibility in such actions. For those who decry “bringing in the lawyers,” they should consider the fact that these kids received little support from the educators. Moreover, these are physical assaults by bullies and, in some cases, acts of negligence by educators. I am constantly horrified by these stories of schools with histories of open bullying and harassment. As educators, our most sacred duty is to preserve a safe and nurturing environment for our students — particularly when they are teenagers struggling with all of the physical and emotional changes in their lives. Indeed, some educators have given their lives to protect their students form violence, click here.
If litigation is needed to prevent another Meier case, than so be it. Perhaps a couple of judgments will result in serious anti-bullying training and programs for schools. What particularly worries me is that the boys described in Wolfe’s lawsuit will become citizens and parents without any corrective action. They have to taught by omission that their conduct is popular and natural. This only serves to replicate homophobic, intolerant, and violent values in society. High school is a powerful learning ground and this is one lesson that we need to stop.
For the full story, click here
JT, I share your outrage over the refusal of so-called “educators” to simply expel the bullies instead of forcing their victims to endure constant harrassment and even physical abuse. Expelling the bullies would be a simple approach to the entire problem, and if the parents of the bully objected, the school officials should tell them they should have raised their children NOT to bully others, and the expulsion stands.
As a 250 pound bully myself, I resent any attempts to curb my behavior.
On a serious note, there are anti-school bullying statutes in at least one EU member state and we should copy them.
Certainly you all agree that simply making the accusation someone is a bully doesn’t make it fact.
I would have thought the first logical inclination here is to come to the aid of those being accused of such an act.
After all, you can allege almost anything, right?
I think that parents bear a large portion of responsibility when it comes to bullying. My daughter had repeated problems with a bully at school, but the child’s father took a “boys will be boys” type of attitude when my husband and I asked to discuss the issue (It had gone beyond teasing, which I would have tolerated, to physical contact, such as tripping and pushing my daughter to the ground, as well as writing on her books and her desk). True, schools should address these issues, but parents have to be involved as well.
We all know that bullying is a precipitating cause in some of the most horrific school shooting cases like Columbine. A a study by the Secret Service and the US Department of Education (DOE) in 2000 reached the same conclusion. The indifference by these educators is incomprehensible given that background. The most important societal value of a lawsuit is to raise awareness and get the attention of the defendant. This suit is long overdue.
Sometimes I close my eyes and imagine we’re actually more evolved as a species. Then I open my eyes and proceed to do something terribly human as nudging and eye-rolling with a colleague to silently snicker at a third party (for a variety of reasons.) It is a sort of bullying. When I realize that I’ve done it … I feel extremely disappointed and remorsful. When I catch myself and correct course, I feel … confident.
It has been my observation that public schools, in fulfilling their role in loco parentis, must be proactive and not simply reactive. That completely changes the dynamics of the underlying article and articles cited therein. Our public schools, not only are devoid of civics, they are devoid of ethics. We’ve assisted them greatly in arriving at this destination.
Right about here the little voice in the back of my head says, ‘I don’t know – Third Base’, just as the anticipated line of Abbott and Costello’s ‘Who’s-on-First’ sketch, we head into the turbulent waters of ethics v. religion and we end up with schools that are laissez-faire custodians. A situation that the predatory legal practitioners, right wing extremists and left wing extremists must share responsibility for leaving unresolved.
But on a more grand scale – we’re a Nation, that most of the globe, and most of the population of our own country, believe unlawfully invaded another country. In doing so, we BULLIED that Sovereign Nation into a bloody civil war that has fragmented into divisions that, right now, appear to defy remedy. The leaders of OUR violence defend OUR actions with excuses that even the most avid supporters cringe when they hear. OUR leaders are rewarded with wealth, power and position; mostly because we are a market-society addicted to excess consumption.
We got to this point gradually, even with severe measures, this big boat will turn very slowly, but if we collectively, lead by example including correcting our own adult behavior, I believe we’ll feel confident; our teachers will rise to the occasion and our bully population will dramatically down-size itself.
As a victim of bullying during my Junior and Senior High school years, I certainly will be watching this case very closely. During my HS graduation, I was booed by several kids when I went on stage to receive my diploma. They just couldn’t resist to get in one more final taunt before we all went our seperate ways. At that point, I vowed to never attend any of my High School reunions. They say time heals all wounds, but emotional scars take longer to heal.
I was a victim of bullying in both Junior and High School. Fortunately I was tall and heavy, so I could at least fight back. However, I was a lousy fighter and the tactic of bullies was to attack you from the front, while their compatriots would hit you from behind. I was called “faggot” constantly for my lack of desire to fight and my ineptness when forced to do so. While I am not gay, we all understand that in macho terms not being “tough” is akin to being effeminate.
The school administration and teachers were complicit in this bullying, by looking the other way, or by blaming me along with the aggressor, since they believed my lack of macho was a fault. My Gym teacher once forced me to wrestle another student who outweighed me by 50 pounds and encouraged laughter at me when I was slammed to the mat and pinned. The bullying ended in my Junior year when by acting out in class and taunting teachers/administrators I began doing what even the bullies feared to do. I graduated from HS with a terrible disciplinary record, in the bottom 1/4 of my class, but won a full scholarship to college.
I remember all this very well even though I’m now 63 and those days are long past. Like another writer above I have not gone back to any HS Reunions and never will.
School Administrations are generally complicit in allowing bullying behavior, either explicitly or through inattention.
I don’t doubt that a big part of it is the macho attitude that though suffering are somehow “weak.” Thank God that parents are starting to hold them accountable
I don’t doubt that a big part of it is the macho attitude that though(sic:those) suffering are somehow “weak.”
Michael & Nervous:
It is amazing how vivid your recollections are after all these years. It proves, I think, the emotional scarring this type of unrestrained behavior leaves. In my view, you current feelings about your “alma mater” are perfectly justified.
an interesting site for EU data on school violence (including bullying)
http://www.gold.ac.uk/connect/countryreports.html
I just found this: looks like there are plenty of anti-bullying laws in effect in America.
http://www.bullypolice.org/
First of all i am a student at Fayetteville High School…I am sick and tired of everyone feeling so sorry for Billy Wolfe. Only the students at Fayetteville High School know the full story. I find it very worrisome that the national news can publish a story that is so onesided and wrong. There is hard proof against everything that Billy and his mother have said in the past weeks. No attacks on Billy have happend just because “the bullies were bored”!!! Billy is known for his trash talking! When you walk up to a black man and call him the “N” word, kill a disabled childs cat, and talk trash about a dead mother what do you think is going 2 happen 2 you? In a perfect world the people Billy is hurting would just turn their cheek and walk away but last time I checked, we don’t live in a perfect world. I really don’t have anything against Billy but i have been going 2 school with him since 5th grade and hes not the perfect child that the nation thinks he is…
This has been another fascinating discussion. Both Nervous’ and Micheal’s accounts do help put into perspective what happens to real people as opposed to my lofty observations previously. The resentments they describe will have more legs than many peace treaties we’ll see in our collective lifetimes.
The most common denominator from the worthwhile replies here have ranged between parents participating in the children’s lives; and, the necessity for teachers / school officials to be more effective and/ or accountable – pointing to only one thing. Adults or, if you will, the leadership.
Michael’s poignant description of complicit teachers strikes chords of memory for me. In the story I could tell though, the offending teacher was the antagonist and the class (it was Phys. Ed.) essentially neutered the instructor. His victim was the chubby kid that got all red in the face when called on in class. He was peaceful chap and very shy. His father had died a year or two earlier.
When the new gym teacher started picking on him … the class closed ranks. We signed a petition calling for disciplinary action of the teacher and his termination by the school board. We delivered the petition 50 strong. The principal reacted respectfully and warned us, that we shouldn’t sully our message with anything that would be considered disrespectful. We left the lobby of the General Office silently and took heed.
By next class (2 days later) it was resolved with the teacher apologizing to the student privately and again in the gym with the class present. It was followed by an apology to the class and his promise to correct his style but not his commitment for us to all pass the ‘President’s Physical Fitness’ Test. He did and we did – All. And we all moved on.
I spent my childhood in a wonderful place. For poor people, we sure had everything. It almost seems like fiction. Our NYC suburban town underwent a growth spurt post WWII. Nearly every family originated from one of the 5 boroughs of NYC. Many were veterans. Our school district was always at the very top of scholastic standing in the State. There were no bad neighborhoods. I wish I could hand those memories out as gifts. We were always grateful.
Bullies didn’t have a fertile atmosphere and there were very few incidents in my memory. My point being that Michael’s assertion that school officials and their complete engagement is what is necessary to prevent innocents from being victimized. Its essentially tax-payers seeing to their business and their children’s welfare.
So again we return to the responsibility lies with us. The citizens, the electorate – the adults, the parents, the teachers … the leaders. Perhaps visits to those class re-unions would yield an awareness that others need.
Concerned Student:
To what do you attribute the lopsided view of this story, as you suggest? That is to say, why isn’t there any substantial evidence to your assertion? There are many news reports including the NYT’s that have followed this story that suggest what you reported here – has been manufactured by the Billy Wolfe Bullies.
Is it possible you could point to information that supports your claim?
There seems to be an organized campaign by the community to counter the negative publicity by portraying Billy as the antagonist. The rumors are that he killed a cat, made fun of a kid’s deceased mother, and called somebody the N-word. All are examples of boorish and annoying behavior behavior, to be sure, but the reality is that this is apparently a child with learning disabilities and may have serious trouble with socialization. His alleged antagonistic ways are probably cries for help/attention or they are perhaps clumsy attempts at navigating what are probably very complex social puzzles for him.
The parents of the good “normal” kids do not want to take any sort of accountability. Afterall, if a kid gets good grades and goes to church, he cannot be in the wrong. The “community” is in full-fledged mob mode and is playing the “blame the victim” card in an insidious way. The real issue is that Billy may not be in control of his behavior in the same way as typical kids. The normal lessons of childhood don’t apply and the result has been a nasty cycle of retaliation.
It sounds like a cop-out but it is probably true.
There should have been a professional intervention a long time ago. A mainstream school situation was probably never the appropriate choice for Billy if all these rumors are true and he couldn’t control his antisocial behavior. For all of this, I have to blame the parents– Billy’s for not addressing their son’s self destructive behavior and the other kids’ parents for not taking a more mature approach in dealing with this situation. The school and the other parents basically decided that Billy “brings it on himself” so it’s ok for their kids to scapegoat him. It’s a dated and unsophisticated ethos. There was a serious problem, a ticking time-bomb, brewing in the community and all the parties should have been working together for good of the kids.
Dear Concerned Student and Bullyhater:
Billy may be all the things said about him and maybe worse, but he also has the right to be secure in his person from physical assault. Words, trsh-filled or not, spoken by a child do not justify physical reprisal. Regardless of who is the instigator, the school owes both sides the duty to insure a nurturing, safe, leaning environment. That’s all I read JT to say.
One last note, I am sure, as “concerned” says, that Billy is not a perfect child, and I am also sure that the “nation” doesn’t regard him as one. Instead, we view him like we do “concerned student,” as a child deserving of both discipline and protection.
http://wamu.org/programs/dr/08/03/04.php#19766
This site is for those who are bullies, those who have been bullied or both. It is also for parents and educators, those who think bullying isn’t a problem and those who do.
There are even bullies here; mespo is one.
niblet:
There, there now, come on back and play. I don’t beat up on you, just some of your lame-brain ideas. That shouldn’t sting, and if it does, consider the concept of “no pain, no gain.”
Mespo, we don’t know how old niblet is, so to be fair, might we suggest he understand your ‘Grasshopper/Master” approach:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kung_Fu_(TV_series)
and then suggest picking up copies of ‘Kill Bill Vol. 1′ and
‘Kill Bill Vol. 2′ also, with David Carradine – unless he can see
it on Cable.
Mespo, a bully? NO way. I’ve seen NO evidence whatsoever of bullying in any of his posts, on this thread or any other. I’m just curious, Niblet, when did honest opinions or honest criticism become “bullying?”
Patty C & Susan:
Thanks for the support but niblet knows I love him and his wacky ideas. Plus I was trying not to clue him about the Socratic method, but Patty spoiled the fun. Anyway, I ‘m down to just asking him to “snatch the pebble from my hand.” Well maybe it will be best two out of three for him!
Mespo:
You make it sound like i think Billy deserves to be beat up..NO!
I just don’t think it is fair that he can go on Good Morning America and have Matt Laur ask him if he dose anything to bring it upon himself and have Billy sit there and LIE! on nation televison! i know first hand what he says to people! i have been going to school with him since 5th grade so there is no way that i am “believing in stories made up by his bullies themselves” i have witnessed his harsh words! i find it really funny that you dont know Billy, you don’t go 2 Fayetteville High School, and you don’t know the people who are beating him up!
From now on ‘concerned student’, your name is ‘grasshoppa’ and
mespo is your ‘masta’…
Forget ‘Socrates’ for now – this falls under ‘Popular Culture’.
‘Kung Fu’, with David Carradine, WAS a popular TV series in the 1970’s. I’m not sure if it is still being programmed anywhere, but
it must be available somehow. You wouldn’t need to see more than a couple of episodes to catch on.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kung_Fu_%28TV_series%29
The David Carradine ‘Kill Bill 1 & 2′ movie reference was not an attempt to ‘dis’ Billy or applaude those who wish to ‘do’ him in.
Just so you know, the coincidence of the name, Bill, in the title is happenstance and not related to the subject matter, bullying at school, being discussed here.
“Billy and the Bullies”
I thought this thread was about William Jefferson Clinton and the House Republicans!
Oops.
While I believe that many school administrations do not do enough to prevent bullying, I also think that it comes about because there is a macho undercurrent that pervades our society. The myth is that to be “manly” you have to be “tough (macho).” We see it in our sports metaphors and in the fact that in many areas the high school athlete gets undue attention. I’m not saying this as someone who is not into sports, quite the contrary, but we see this myth play out in all areas of our society, be it politics, business or education, etc. While I believe that school administrations should take action, as should parents, in the end we as a society and we as humans must work to resolve the innate aggression that is the root cause. Given what we know about simian societies the prospects aren’t hopeful, but are well worth pursuing.
Concerned Student:
Since you are old enough and courageous enough to post here, I will do you the courtesy of treating you as an adult. There is no magic in knowing the people involved in an issue involving the law. Judges don’t know the persons who come before them, but we empower judges to gauge the conduct of others. In your case, you obviously don’t like Billy and you think he is a liar. That is your OPINION which we have the right to accept, reject, or discount based on many factors such as your age, experience, bias, prejudice, and closeness to the situation. I choose to accept part of what you say as true because my life experience includes both bullies and their victims. Neither group were wholely blameless and I am sure Billy is not either.
I am compelled however to make a value judgment on what is the best course for school officials to take. As I have said here, I know that bullying is wrong, makes isolated kids more isolated, and should not be permitted by the school, as you say. I also know that heeping blame on Billy who is an a loner with feelings of resentment, will do nothing except exacerbate the situation. I have no desire to see your school added to the sad roster of schools rocked by violence from persons whose psyche has been abused and then left feeling as though no one listens or cares about their plight. All in all, I come down on Billy’s side as much for your protection as for his. Now if you will permit me one condescension, my age, experience and distance from the situation affords me the luxury to look at all the competing interests in the case and determine there is more at stake here than whether or not one boy lied, or started the trouble.
I hope one day you will understand my thinking if you do not do so already. I wish you well and compliment you for caring enough to share you insight and your opinions.
This is rediculous. If you only knew why he got into so many fights, there wouldn’t be all of this drama.
Seriously…
I go to school with Billy. I KNOW HIM!
You don’t know the WHOLE story…
“… Seriously…
I go to school with Billy. I KNOW HIM!.”
We get it – in order for you to be ‘right’ you have to make everybody else ‘wrong’ – especially Billy.
What we are requesting you to do is ‘get off it’ with Billy for a few moments and listen to what is being said by some very smart people, who are not your parents, but who have, likewise, been around a while and are clearly willing to take the time to state the important message you seem to be missing.
Bullying is hurtful and destructive – no matter who is perpetrating it.
The mild example I like to use is the parent who ‘disciplines’ their child for striking another child on the playground by hitting him/her themselves.
It’s inappropriate behavior in both instances which, in the second instance, sends a very powerful and negatively mixed message which
in turn gets handed down from generation to generation – unless the cycle is broken.
You may think you know Billy. My guess is you don’t know him
-not at all! Seriously…
mespo, I really appreciated what you wrote to concerned student and about the young girl who died. Thank you for caring in each case.
I doubt Billy is a perfect child either and, as many have pointed out, this isn’t a reason for beating him up. It would be an argument for firm and compassionate action to have been taken by the school immediately upon learning of any child’s harmful behavior.
Patty:
Youth is wasted on the young. –George Bernard Shaw
You don’t…:
With all due respect, if you really knew him, you would realize that his actions demonstrate some deep-seeded pain and reach out to him as a friend instead of merely judging his actions. In truth, no one really “knows” another person save only his parents and spouse.
Jill:
Thank you. My comment really was from the heart. I do love your example. It’s why I can’t support capital punishment. The theory seems to be: let’s end violence by committing violence. I must say however that my conviction waivers in cases of deadly child abuse.
Hello Jonathan. I am Billy’s attorney. I met you when I was Asa Hutchinson’s chief of staff in the late 90s. Possibly the bigger story in this matter is the mob mentality of the parents who print totally irrational and outrageous rumors under anonymous posts. Unfortunately, the school system gives license to this behavior w/ its pr responses inferring that there is more to the story. The “Everybody hates Billy” websites and t-shirts, the administration response and the anonymous posts all serve to dehumanize this young man and perpetuate the violence, which Billy totally rejects. These posts are no different than the sucker punches thrown by the cowards that maimed and knocked Billy unconscious. The posts are so easily refuted that I hesitate to spend any time on them. I want people to think. If any of this really happened do you think that any of these people would have hesitated to have Billy arrested? I want these people to step out of the mob and print their names. Do not hide behind “anonymous.”
Westbrook Doss
Westbrook,
I am not JT, but what you mention about the anonymous posting raises some issues that have ominous overtones for the current ability to post anonymously on the internet.
We know that there have been legislative proposals to curtail such postings. See the earlier thread about the Kentucky proposal.
I am worried that abuse is going to result in federal moves to strip anonymity…and, abuses aside, that’s not a good thing.
DW
DW,
I agree w/ your concern. Without the first amendment this situation w/ Billy would have never been brought to light. I am just calling on these parents to be courageous enough to voluntarily print their names and offer evidence if they are going to bully a young man by calling him a cat killer. This characterization has severe implications associated w/ serial killers. Their children do not accept responsibility for their actions and the school district nor the parents enforce accountability. They are literally putting a young man’s life at risk.
Westbrook
Westbrook:
I applaud your representation but, as a practicing attorney, I think you ask too much. As you know from my previous posts, I endorse your client’s cause not out of some love of his reputed actions, but simply on principle and in the interests of maintaining safe schools. As I noted above, I find few angels in my practice and the fact that there is some wide-spread resentment coupled with his age and notoriety leads me to believe that some of his actions served as a catalyst for the resentment. I do not condone anonymous threats, but I do support anonymous expressions of dissent. They are much like gossip, which if wide-spread enough, serves to reinforce community values without direct confrontation. As Gerry Spence says he who points the accusing finger must remember three more point back at him.
Westbrook,
Thank you very much for your signed contribution. I have long suspected that the pro-bully anonymous postings on this site were fiction, written by grown-up liars inventing made-up facts and pretending to be high school classmates. It certainly seemed like a waste of time to engage them or to respond to them or to ask them for details. It seems better simply to draw an adverse inference, allowing those posters to rebut this presumption at any time by identifying themselves and providing evidence for their assertions. Until they do, we cordially assume they are malicious and destructive. This stuff about killed-a-cat, dissed-a-mother, or used-the-N-word is all over the net. I do think it is worthwhile to refute false statements early and often.
The anonymous posters are fine when they express opinions, or cite facts about history or current events that we can discuss or verify.
But there is a real big difference between that, and personal attacks on a named individual involving invidious charges that may even possibly be a little bit defamatory. Many forums have had to name moderators to screen abusive posts, and others (like the Washington Post) allow reports of abuse to the moderators so that offensive posts can be deleted.
Republicans in our state are against anti bullying legislation. They contend it is to protect homosexuals.
Alfredo, I hope you come back to check this thread.
I would very much appreciate hearing from you on what state you are in. This would be useful information for all of us here.
As far as anonymity on the web: a two edge sword it is without a doubt. But overall I am decidedly in favor of it at least in certain forums including this one. There is a chilling effect on free speech and whistleblowing in general if one is compelled to give one’s name at least in a public forum such as this. Its too bad that it has gotten that bad, but there it is.
1. Fighting The “Gang Mentality”
I bet the bullies that actually fight with Billy are actually being manipulated by their friends. This is how it works: the ring leader decides to demonstrate his power by manipulating his or her minions to harass a seemingly vulnerable student. The ring leader says “so-and so is x, y and Z”. If you minions want to be in my click you must punish so an so. Off the minions go to execute their masters bidding. Of course, the master (alpha male or female) does not use such direct language – his or her instructions are subtle, but well understood. Often the ring leader avoids punishment because they are smart enough to avoid direct involvement. Instead they sit back and enjoy the show – manipulating their simple minded minions and indirectly bulling those that they cannot affectively control.
Please do not encourage the victim to fight. The result can easily be devastating. Encourage the victim to use the law. Fights can go bad wrong. Lost teeth, death fro traumatic head injury, choking deaths, eye damage. The victim may not be willing to lose and may choke, stab, shoot, hit with object ect…. the aggressor may be really mean – and or stupid- he could do any of the above. Often the aggressor is just some manipulated person that the real bully is using as a proxy
My fights didn’t end too bad – A good undercut cracked my molar – and the magnetic CB antenna base plate I was holding severely injured and attacker – he came close to death. He was a good person manipulated by rotten idiots – what if I killed him?? I like my teeth and would have liked to skip the gold crown. My hands are still scared from the teeth and bone of the many attackers I have been forced to fight. And yes, I have run from many fights also. I am proud to say I have never fought some who did not first attack me. I have learned through the years and I am now better able to stay away from dangerous people. Being out of school helps because it is hard to stay away from them when you are in the same school.
Martial arts are great, but you don’t have to study them long to figure out how to kill someone – man it’s strange but 8 out of 10 fights I have been in were with some dummy that didn’t even realize he was fighting for someone else. Do you really want to kill someone like this? I don’t want to spend 20 years in jail or hurt someone. You don’t want your son or daughter going to reform school – I hear the fighting there is worse. And, they will likely meet some bad apples.
The school system needs to be trained to circumvent the sub grouping that is taking place at this undisciplined school. The school is obviously slandering the victim. Blame the victim – is the best tactic to use – it’s great when you can convince your parents and teachers that your violent behavior is ok. And guess what – allot of the uninvolved students concur that Billy is the problem. But, the truth is – they may actually be the behind the scene manipulator. Some of the students are saying “ I just avoid Bill”. That’s great so half the kids are physically and verbally torturing Billy and the other half are isolating him socially. May as well shot him in the head. Look Dummies be nice to Billy show him by example how to act. Help him make friends. Show some compassion.
There is this great saying in this old book I looked in once. Goes something like “ Treat others as you would like to be treated” – I find when I am able to do this I sleep better. I’m not real good at it, but I am going to try to do better.
Anyone who thinks bullying is natural and okay; hasn’t ever been bullied themselves. It is serious problem in learning, work, an social environments.
I am a retired AF Special Ops fought in Panama, Grenada, and throughout south Amrica and am very well trained in combat But Because of my smaller stature I became an ‘apparently’ easy target, even as an adult, until I lay the bully out. There is something called justifiable provocation which has saved me from jail twice now. But I have also been deemed a danger to myself and others because of the way I have dealt with bullies.
No, bullying should be prosecuted just as you would a rape becuse the lasting mental effects can be as conseqential here as for a rape victim.
Laws arer now in place to keep Columbine from re-occuring…
Phys-Ed Class was the precursor of Gitmo. In 1979 a swimming class in high school was close to waterboarding. You swim or you run the risk of being drowned by a bully. You stay on the pool side or else.
Only did I join the Navy did I jump into a “swimming” pool. I got onto the diving board and jumped in. This was Boot Camp. I did it The expierence?
(maneuver to edge of diving board)
(jump on command)
Waaaahhhh! (splashdown)
(sink almost to bottom)
(slow rise to surface)
face up and get to edge of drowning pool.
Lesson learned is that you want a swimming pool to be good and salted up!Salt it up REAL GOOD!
You can backstroke in a salted lake (an ocean) but you can’t in freshwater unless you are athletic.
I was fortunate while attending High School. We had no-nonsense principals and PE teachers who quickly put an end to any bullying, hazing, “roughing up”, “boys-will-be-boys” stuff. They gave the bullies a taste of their own medicine right then and there–being slammed up against a locker in front of your buddies usually worked. And the parents supported the teachers 100%. While in the military, I was again fortunate to have similar “no-nonsense” Commanding Officers, OIC’s, & NCOIC’s. Being a bully would result in having your ass and career handed to you a silver platter, along with time in the BRIG where you would receive a first class education on how to be a bully–with you as the victim of course. People need to grow a back bone.