by In yet another bullying incident that gets my blood boiling, a 13-year-old was severely beaten by three 15-year-olds on a school bus…while the driver stood by and watched.
The driver, who called for help, said he was terrified and there was nothing he could do but watch the attack happen.
This started an online debate yesterday that continues to grow today. On the one hand, the driver looks like a real dildo for seeming to sit idly by while a boy is viciously attacked by kids who, let’s face it, will most likely grow up to be completely useless pieces of garbage. But if you look beyond the video, the driver is 64 years old, admittedly “petrified,” and bound by company rules not to interfere or place his hands on a student.
He is not going to be charged with any crime. Some people are saying he should not be, while others are saying his behavior is criminal.
While this brings up an interesting point, it also take the focus away from the attackers. Kids who commit adult-level crimes are still protected and overlooked all too often in our politically correct arena, and the consequences are dire. Until they are held accountable, these incidents will continue to escalate.
My friend, country singer Drake Jensen, uses the term “assault” as opposed to “bullying,” as he feels the word “bully” sometimes does not have the impact or accurately describe the damage and violence that often occurs with these incidents.
I agree. What these kids are doing goes beyond name calling or posting a nasty picture on a locker. This is assault.
Click on the photo here to go the news story and see the video. It is disturbing and alarming….and needs to be seen.
While I admit the internet has now become so powerful and so all-knowing that it can destroy lives, sometimes within a matter of minutes, it is cases like this where it can become a positive and useful tool. Bullying was not discussed when I was in school. Now, thanks to online postings, it is talked about on a daily basis. Not so long ago, attacks like this occurred all the time and no one outside of the incident ever knew or cared. Now, this victim has support literally from around the world.
And it gets people talking.
I am still wrestling with myself to some extent. If I were the bus driver, what would I do? Would I jump in without thinking and pull these pieces of shit off of the victim? Or would a less instinctive voice warn me that a grown man physically accosting teenagers would only backfire, regardless of the circumstances? Was what this driver did a case of apathy, or was it the expected response in our current environment?
What would you do? What SHOULD we do in this situation? This is one of those “no easy answer” situations, and I am curious to hear what people think.
Please visit bullying.org and learn more about how you can get involved and make a difference.
As a 62 year old man, I can tell you that I would find it difficult to intervene, but, I don’t think I could sit by. I faced a situation in Oklahoma a few years ago where I taught the “study hall” room at a large middle school. There were some TOUGH kids. That’s ok, I worked with GANG kids in CA for many years, BUT, after physically intervening in THREE fights in one day, I resigned, and did not return to the job. I am already physically compromised, and I couldn’t risk a wheelchair for it. I do not judge the driver. I grieve for the bullied one, I am confident that Karma will find the three who perpetrated the assault, and I offer no judgment on the driver. Poor guy..I know his dilemma.