I guess my original point is moot now but this shooting and many others are examples of what can happen when bullying goes unchecked.
Kids are some of the cruelest people I've ever come across.
Bullied son of Ottawa city councillor commits suicide
- Thread starter mentalfloss
- Start date
I guess my original point is moot now but this shooting and many others are examples of what can happen when bullying goes unchecked.
Kids are some of the cruelest people I've ever come across.
Similar thing happened to me- got the snot beat out of me on the soccer field and ended up getting the strap for defending myself (Kicked the thug in the back of the head, while he had me down on the ground beating my face in) anyway we both got a good strapping.
I've never figured out how they can consider being sent home -- freed from school -- a punishment. To teenagers, its a day off.
But you are right about the stupid rules. They wind up suspending the kid with the plastic knife in his/her lunch and letting the bullying go on undetected in the school yard.
That's horrible and sad. You can tell from the Dad's smile in the pic that he loved him unconditionally, like any good parent. In my view, justice demands that his bullies be charged with contributing to the suicide of a human being.
Bullying has never been a normal aspect of childhood development. It was wrong back then too. The difference was however, back in the day bullying was more like pestering, and the lone bully eventually got what was coming to him. Nowadays, its more of a mob mentality and some of the youth doing the bullying are just plain evil.
Bullying has never been a normal aspect of childhood development. It was wrong back then too. The difference was however, back in the day bullying was more like pestering, and the lone bully eventually got what was coming to him. Nowadays, its more of a mob mentality and some of the youth doing the bullying are just plain evil.
My heart goes out to his family. What a terrible loss, and waste of life. Those involved with tormenting this poor young man, should be ashamed. I hope the guilt eats at them for a long, long time.
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Ontario schools, and zero tolerance for bullying...
5, 14 year old kids gang up on other 14 year old child. Threaten and surround him. In fear of yet another beating, child pulls protractor from pocket, in vain attempt to protect himself.
5 bullies run and tattle.
Child is called into office and suspended for brandishing a weapon. Not allowed to return to school, until child has a sit down, parents, Principal, and Police Officer.
Parents bring child to school, after the suspension expires.
Sit down with Principal and Police Officer.
Principal explains event to the Officer, child says yes, that's what happened.
Police Officer explains to the Principal, she is in no way shape or form going to chastise or otherwise warn the child, for...
1, Not breaking any law in the CCoC.
2, For attempting to lawfully protect himself, within the CCoC.
3, being the victim of bullying.
After politely explaining to the Principal, that the child has committed no crime. The Principal informs all, that the Safe Schools act, supersedes the CCoC, on school property.
The Officer asks the Principal, if she's aware of the zero tolerance for bullying, in the same act. Principal confirms she is aware. The Officer asks Principal, if the 5 boys will be in to sit down with their parents, and the Principal, and herself.
The Principals says, they were not suspended.
Officer politely asks, "Why not?".
Principal, says, they were the victims.
The Officers reply..."Ma'am, I believe you are confused. Please excuse me." And she left.
I could have told her that.
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That was but one of the times I had to deal with my oldest sons public school, over bullying.
By the grace of God, Kooter, my youngest, is a marshmallow. At 15 years of age, 6' 2" tall, and 235lbs, he's every bit, the quintessential FBI. Bullies don't really bug him, because he lets most things roll off his back. But due to the level of stupidity most bullies have, he has had to knock some heads together. Like I said, thank God he's got a marshmallow disposition.
This should be the standard response top all bullying...
Boy body slams his alleged bully - YouTube
It's high time bullying became a crime.
****************************
Ontario schools, and zero tolerance for bullying...
5, 14 year old kids gang up on other 14 year old child. Threaten and surround him. In fear of yet another beating, child pulls protractor from pocket, in vain attempt to protect himself.
5 bullies run and tattle.
Child is called into office and suspended for brandishing a weapon. Not allowed to return to school, until child has a sit down, parents, Principal, and Police Officer.
Parents bring child to school, after the suspension expires.
Sit down with Principal and Police Officer.
Principal explains event to the Officer, child says yes, that's what happened.
Police Officer explains to the Principal, she is in no way shape or form going to chastise or otherwise warn the child, for...
1, Not breaking any law in the CCoC.
2, For attempting to lawfully protect himself, within the CCoC.
3, being the victim of bullying.
After politely explaining to the Principal, that the child has committed no crime. The Principal informs all, that the Safe Schools act, supersedes the CCoC, on school property.
The Officer asks the Principal, if she's aware of the zero tolerance for bullying, in the same act. Principal confirms she is aware. The Officer asks Principal, if the 5 boys will be in to sit down with their parents, and the Principal, and herself.
The Principals says, they were not suspended.
Officer politely asks, "Why not?".
Principal, says, they were the victims.
The Officers reply..."Ma'am, I believe you are confused. Please excuse me." And she left.
I could have told her that.
**************************
That was but one of the times I had to deal with my oldest sons public school, over bullying.
By the grace of God, Kooter, my youngest, is a marshmallow. At 15 years of age, 6' 2" tall, and 235lbs, he's every bit, the quintessential FBI. Bullies don't really bug him, because he lets most things roll off his back. But due to the level of stupidity most bullies have, he has had to knock some heads together. Like I said, thank God he's got a marshmallow disposition.
This should be the standard response top all bullying...
Boy body slams his alleged bully - YouTube
It's high time bullying became a crime.
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Exactly, generally when I went to school it was one on one. On about a weekly basis in grades 3 and 4 I had to give this one kid a whoopin', he was about a year younger than me and about 50 lbs. heavier and not quite as bright (I can honestly say) but he wanted to fight and may have suffered from a short memory.
I don't think your point is moot. I think what ends up happening is a cycle of bullying.... bully the bully. And everyone feels justified because no one thinks they were ever in the wrong first.
There are not many things that cause my heart to ache more than a child who commits suicide over bullying. To loose all hope, all of it, at such a young age! I can't imagine the horror his parents are suffering through right now.
I'm so grateful that my kids never had these kinds of problems when they were growing up.
While I have to disagree that it is in any way a normal part of growing up, I will say that too many simply give lip service to addressing the issue. That is what, I think, makes it worse in the long run.
As do I. Although I'm kind of ashamed to admit this, it is probably the one thing that can actually make me hate a child.
I fear they wouldn't have the capacity for guilt. If they can't empathize while actively tormenting someone and destroying their sense of self worth, how can they process guilt?
But I hope you're right.
.
I'd say it's long past time.
I'm so grateful that my kids never had these kinds of problems when they were growing up.
While I have to disagree that it is in any way a normal part of growing up, I will say that too many simply give lip service to addressing the issue. That is what, I think, makes it worse in the long run.
As do I. Although I'm kind of ashamed to admit this, it is probably the one thing that can actually make me hate a child.
I fear they wouldn't have the capacity for guilt. If they can't empathize while actively tormenting someone and destroying their sense of self worth, how can they process guilt?
But I hope you're right.
.
I'd say it's long past time.
To clarify what I meant more thoroughly.... I can guarantee that pushing a kid, throwing a tantrum, saying you don't like a certain person, and just generally bumping up against other people wrong, is a part of normal childhood development. EVERY kid does it to some degree. And thanks to these awareness campaigns, by the time they hit kindergarten, kids in our schools are screaming 'bully' at one another, and perpetuating a cycle that would have normally been nipped in the bud in all but a few REAL bullies.
First of all great video. I wish I could figure out how to turn that body slam into a screen saver. Little brainless pusbag--too stupid to understand he's smacking a bull.
I don't know if I necessarily agree. I would worry that creating a bully law might end up being like Hate Crime Laws, muddy, biased, unfair and often misused.
Bullies aren't known for being overly intelligent.
True. Like the Safe Schools act, the bullied, oft becomes the victimizer, and the punished, because they feel so compelled to retaliate.
Okay, gotcha now. Yes, learning how to deal with others, even in a somewhat combative manner, is a part of growing up and necessary life skills to learn. We do our kids a disservice by keeping everything too safe and too clean for them, which only allows for the really nasty stuff to grow in the dark.
No different in a sense than the parents who hyper-sanitize their kids from birth then wonder why they lose half of year of school in the first few years because they are constantly sick.
But if the adults, parents and the school system, would treat these campaigns with more than just lip service, maybe it would make a better impact on the kids.
Honestly, I can't see the answer really myself. But something needs to be done somewhere, somehow. We should not have kids dying by their own hand simply because they can't take it anymore. We're all letting them down I think.
I agree with Eaglesmack, being a bully should be a crime and if there are more
than one participating at a time, there should be a bully conspiracy law to go
with it. Same for the Internet, those who conspire to attack others in the form
of bullying, this too should be a criminal offence. If a child commits suicide as
a result of being bullied those responsible should be found equally guilty of
homicide. Do you think parents would take an interest if their child faced such
charges? You bet they would.
It should also be common and required practice to inform post secondary education
facilities to be informed of bullies seeking application. It should also be part of all
school records on job reference information. I think if we wanted to do something
about this we could and its time for society to take action.
than one participating at a time, there should be a bully conspiracy law to go
with it. Same for the Internet, those who conspire to attack others in the form
of bullying, this too should be a criminal offence. If a child commits suicide as
a result of being bullied those responsible should be found equally guilty of
homicide. Do you think parents would take an interest if their child faced such
charges? You bet they would.
It should also be common and required practice to inform post secondary education
facilities to be informed of bullies seeking application. It should also be part of all
school records on job reference information. I think if we wanted to do something
about this we could and its time for society to take action.
Do we not have laws on the books for this sort of thing already?
Stalking?
Assault?
Conspiracy?
Conspiracy cases are defined as cases in which two or more persons agree to commit a crime or to perpetrate an illegal act. The end may be legal, but the planned means are illegal. For example, two persons making a plan to steal bread from a supermarket (illegal) to donate to a local food bank (legal) would be guilty of conspiracy. While intent is key in any federal conspiracy case, only “general intent” to violate the law is necessary; proof of the defendants’ specific intent to violate the law is not needed, only an agreement to engage in an illegal act.
Why not just enforce the laws we already have.
Because that's not the way governments work.
Why work with what you've already got when you can reinvent the wheel each and every time. Keeps things less efficient that way.
The problem is we have not enforced the law and secondly we do not sentence
those responsible, according to the crime. Therefore institute a new criminal
offence requiring a strong message in sentencing. Secondly if someone commits
suicide those responsible are then sentenced the same as if they committed a
murder. That would bring parents into the picture because of the seriousness of
the matter.
You know as well as I do, that assault, or conspiracy and other offences are not
taken seriously by most citizens and only a half hearted effort is made by the
courts. Stalking is taken seriously in some cases I agree there.
However raise the anti for a death from bully antics and the sentence is ten years
before application for parole even. If that were the case parents would take the
matter with serious discretion.
the fact is the society is not taking this with a serious attitude. Why do we pay so
little attention to kids actually taking their own lives because someone else is
abusing them? If a small child were being abused we would be screaming like
hell but because they are a few years older its alright to allow some punks to
leave a marginalized kid know other option but to die, for someone else's fun?
I was bullied the first day of school, and I fought back. Of course I had been
taught how to defend myself before I went to school Some little bugger three
grades ahead of me got a nasty surprise at six I beat the hell out of him and
they wanted to punish me for defending myself. I have no tolerance for this
at all. If the law and society can't do anything or institute laws and uphold them
then get to hell out of the way and let the older family members do the job
of the governments justice system? If someone suggested this seriously, then
there would be an outcry about mob rule etc. but its alright to let kids suffer
being bullied because we don't have the will to stop it.
Oh and the next time there is a kid shooting up a school because they considered
him an outcast, people should just accept it as normal, after all they decided it was
normal for him to be bullied without taking action so his reaction should be
considered normal right? OF course not. So to allow bullying is not a normal
reaction either and its time we did something serious about curbing it.
those responsible, according to the crime. Therefore institute a new criminal
offence requiring a strong message in sentencing. Secondly if someone commits
suicide those responsible are then sentenced the same as if they committed a
murder. That would bring parents into the picture because of the seriousness of
the matter.
You know as well as I do, that assault, or conspiracy and other offences are not
taken seriously by most citizens and only a half hearted effort is made by the
courts. Stalking is taken seriously in some cases I agree there.
However raise the anti for a death from bully antics and the sentence is ten years
before application for parole even. If that were the case parents would take the
matter with serious discretion.
the fact is the society is not taking this with a serious attitude. Why do we pay so
little attention to kids actually taking their own lives because someone else is
abusing them? If a small child were being abused we would be screaming like
hell but because they are a few years older its alright to allow some punks to
leave a marginalized kid know other option but to die, for someone else's fun?
I was bullied the first day of school, and I fought back. Of course I had been
taught how to defend myself before I went to school Some little bugger three
grades ahead of me got a nasty surprise at six I beat the hell out of him and
they wanted to punish me for defending myself. I have no tolerance for this
at all. If the law and society can't do anything or institute laws and uphold them
then get to hell out of the way and let the older family members do the job
of the governments justice system? If someone suggested this seriously, then
there would be an outcry about mob rule etc. but its alright to let kids suffer
being bullied because we don't have the will to stop it.
Oh and the next time there is a kid shooting up a school because they considered
him an outcast, people should just accept it as normal, after all they decided it was
normal for him to be bullied without taking action so his reaction should be
considered normal right? OF course not. So to allow bullying is not a normal
reaction either and its time we did something serious about curbing it.
I just don't get why we as citizens don't demand that the law be enforced instead tinkering with new ones. In the case of hate crime legislation we essentially have two sets of rules. If I were to beat you up I might get two years, but if I were to utter a racial slur I would have time added. It seems to me we are putting extra mechanisms on a machine that really needs an overhaul.
I cannot see suicide being homicide regardless of the circumstance. The decision to kill is not the bullies but the victim's. I think there should be laws protecting the victim from bullying but its not homicide (unless the bully physically starts the chain of events leading to a death). Certainly with proper laws protecting the victim to start with, the suicide may be prevented.
And I realize I haven't said it yet, so I will say it now. My condolences to his family. 15 years old is way to young to die.