Bullied Bus Monitor Story (Language warning!)

[FlipMode]

Incoming debatable news story, hold on to your butts so that they do not get too hurt by peoples opinions.

Sooo with that disclaimer out the way (Semi-stolen from Amanda's sig), let us get on to the story at hand shall we it annoys me, but for more than one reason.

Karen Huff Klein is a bus monitor at the Greece Central School District in Rochester, NY. Now I am going to link you to a video which is going around, of her being bullied... Well not bullied but you know... Kids calling her names and giving her a bad time on the bus.... you know like what happens ALL THE TIME EVERYWHERE!?!?

Now here is what annoys me, a guy on Reddit posted a thread that would raise money for her since the video was posted online, so she could go on a holiday break or something and guess what - ITS NEARING HALF A MILLION DOLLARS!
Now, come on... Lets be real here, this crap happens ALL the time, but the one single time it is actually recorded, Ohhhhh lets blow it wide out of proportion and giver her half a million dollars...

I mean in this economy, and with third would countries that genuineally NEED that money to live, let alone being called names on a bus... to me it just seems like people are just looking fro a reason to feel good about their selves now... And I am getting a bit sick of it...

Anyway what are your thoughts? Obviously what they kids did was wrong, but do you think its a little OTT reaction to something that is so common? I mean come on, people get shot and get nothing, a woman gets called some names on the bus, and gets half a million dollars, how do the people donating STILL think that is a worthy way to spend their money?

Here is an article for you to better formulate your opinions -
http://www.examiner.com/article/karen-h ... 00?cid=rss

And here is the original video as it was posted on YouTube (explicit language, NO violence!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAgti_2uziA

[Tabby]

Well... I actually think the trolling matter it's going too far these days, not because of the trolling itself, I mean the people's reactions, just thinking the other day a guy got in the jail for trolling(yet what he did wasn't right), but still, I don't see what's the big deal here. Why don't they give each person who get bullied at school all the time a half million dollars too?.. So, I'm agree with you, giving half million dollars a person for being trolled while there're people in the streets still cause can't pay a bed, it's sad, but still it's their money so I guess they choose where to expend it at, no saying i'm agree with it...

[TheLionPrince]

I heard about this story just yesterday when I was getting dressed to go to work. I was also prilveged to watching an interview she did on Fox & Friends (on the FOX News channel). My reaction was that I was completely digusted at those kids. I mean what happened to respect your elders? It even sickened me most when the kids poke fun at her son's suicide, I believe. Above all, I'm glad Karen didn't react negatively.

As for the donations, well, I believe a person should get double for their trouble. I mean, think about it, she's not asking for this money. We are just Americans, and we are always generous. If people want to donate their money, then, that's their choice whether it was to feel good about themselves or not. As for people whose relatives get shot, we never know if people actually make a donation to them because it's never reported on the news.

[cleargreenwater]

I think there's 2 different issues at play in this, so here's my thoughts:

1.) The bullying....going by your stance Flip, just because something happens all the time doesn't mean it's condemnable or punishable? I think those brats were being cocky little douchbags and harrassing someone, and I think it would be great if this recorded encounter could lead to something like a law with a fine or community service, because I'm sure the behavior stems in a large part from thinking they can get away with it, and sadly until a person develops their own better social and civic judgement, the government is responsible for helping guard the outer parameters of it. And those children really were out of order.

2.) That said....a law would be the thinking thing to do. I'm a really cynical person, though, and truth be told you know why I think this woman is getting all the money she is? Because parents with uncertain consciouses are plying her with it, trying to deny their own children's possible guilt and involvement in such actions. If throwing $100 at one bus aid they feel sorry for allows them to quiet that sneaking voice in the back of their heads that's saying "how about your kid? what do they act like? how confident are you that they aren't acting like that??" and lets them feel like they're the "good people" and absolving themselves of the seed of doubt/guilt this plants in there.....THAT'S why I think she's getting the ridiculous outpouring of cash she is in all honesty.

[Azdgari]

Clearly a lot of these kids are all from households that aren't raising them properly and that's a whole problem in and of it's own right, and they're taking out on this woman because they haven't been taught any better, or maybe because of the influences of where they live (Rochester isn't exactly the Hamptons) or, least likely I think, they're "just rotten kids". However, it's a little ridiculous that she raised that much money in my opinion, I agree with you Fip. People get fired up over things sometimes and it's frustrating that they aren't fired up about more serious problems. 22,000 children die each day due to poverty according to UNICEF, but what really deserves our focus is a woman being called names, or SOPA or PIPA, or whether gay people can be allowed to marry.

[SnowyCheetah]

Maybe instead of giving the girl $500,000 for a vacation or compensation money or whatever, for being called some names, such money could be put toward actually doing something about the problem. This touchy-feely stuff has got to stop.

Oh, and school buses/schools in a lot of areas are hellholes anyway, because places tend to get that way when you put a bunch of kids in the same spot with inadequate supervision.

[HasiraKali]

I actually watched this video last night. I couldn't get through all of it until later because it just made me so mad. Bullying is a big deal these days and it doesn't matter if that person is 9 or 99, bullying is unacceptable. Texas (not sure about other states) is actually about to pass all kinds of legislation to make the consequences for bullying on school property (this would include a bus) more severe as well as clearly define cyber-bullying and make it open to the same consequences. It will also make my job harder, but that's ok if it's for the benefit of the kids.

As for the money, people are going to do whatever they want with their money, and there's always going to be someone who thinks it could be better spent. Maybe it can, but when it comes to charity using personal funds, it's not really anyone's business what they choose to spend it on. The lady did say that she probably wouldn't press charges on the kids and would probably do something more useful with the money on an interview I saw this afternoon.

What it really comes down to is that kids are not inherently mean, they get it from their parents and the types of things they're exposed to. Whatever consequences the kids get, I really feel like the parents need some kind of consequence as well. That could be as simple as attending bullying awareness classes (with their kids) or community service maybe.

Another thing that baffles me about this case is that not one of the other students on that bus stepped in. The kids in my school are REALLY good at standing up for each other, even if they're both in the wrong. And the driver! I know if I saw a bunch of kids huddled around the monitor, facing the wrong direction, in my rear view mirror, I'd have pulled over and investigated. In my district, the drivers can actually report the students to the administration and they WILL receive consequences. We had a bunch of kids start a food fight on the bus one afternoon. The driver reported it and they were all given consequences. The driver is partially at fault for why this got to where it did.

Anyway, being in the school system, I can tell you it's an ongoing battle. Parents are becoming more and more distant and expecting us to be more and more responsible for THEIR children, so you will begin to see changes in the next few years if this kind of thing continues.

[TheBlackCatCrossing]

I think passing a bunch of laws does nothing. There was a time where you could stand up to a bully: it's called kicking their asses. But in this PC society, it is the bully that gets protected status. I am still pissed off about the Phoebe Prince debacle. I really think kids/tweens/preteens are sociopaths. No, please don't tell me that they are kids and that they are not 'responsible'. Please. They were bullying her WITH INTENT and they knew what they were doing. The father of one of the boys apologized to her. I have nothing but respect for him.

[KopsTheTerminator]

[quote="StormySeethe"]Maybe instead of giving the girl $500,000 for a vacation or compensation money or whatever, for being called some names, such money could be put toward actually doing something about the problem.[/quote]

Exactly, though I'm glad that the video got so much attention. Shows that people still care about bullying. However, giving bullying victims money is not going to solve ANYTHING, and there are much more serious problems out there.

That video is sad. Has society really sunk that low? To the point of having no respect for elders? Bad parenting at its finest... It seems that parents have become WAY too soft for their children to the point of not punishing them properly for crap like this just to 'spare their feelings'.

[SophieCub]

I thought this video was disgusting, the way the kids where talking to her. I get bullied everyday, even on my school bus but not like that. But she shouldn't been given that amount money and a holiday. Millions of people, young and old get bullied everyday and they have to deal with it. It can even end their life. Some kids that bully, have problems with them and just do it for fun, so they don't have to feel their own pain but bulling is not the answer. I do feel very sorry for her but thats life, you just have to deal with it. Thats what this world has become. Raising all that money was pointless IMO. I think the money is wasted, it could have been used for something else, something better. Mabey a life or death.