March 20, 2007

So this is what I come home to...

So yesterday I picked my son up from his tennis lessons--just like any other day. On the way home, we were chatting about his day and he shows me his arm, which has been scratched to hell. I laughed and asked him what happened, because my son has inherited my less than stellar style of grace. Just last week he came home sporting a mangled hand from a Petey he did on the pavement. When he told me he fell down, I replied, "Well, that was stupid." Then I got him a band-aide and all was right with the world again.

This time, however, I didn't find his answer so amusing. He told me some kid on the bus had done it to him. At first I sort of shrugged it off, because little boys scuffle. But then he told me the kid who did this wasn't a friend and had bothered him in the past. I asked my son if he told the kid to leave him alone, and he said that he had but the kid just kept coming at him. What set me off was when he told me this child had actually tried to bite him, but my son had held his head against the bus seat so he couldn't.

At this point I'm wondering what in the hell the bus driver is doing. Some heathen is ripping kids up on the bus and no one has noticed? I asked my son if he told the bus driver what was going on, and he told me (exact words here), "No. They won't do anything about him anyway."

At this point I told my son, if he does this to you again, punch him in the friggen mouth. He just sort of looked at me and I told him he has every right to defend himself if someone is trying to hurt him. Especially if the adults who are responsible for him while he's at school don't feel inclined to protect him.

Of course, this didn't go over well with my mother. She told me, "They'll expel him if he hits another kid". That just pissed me off even more. Apparently this kid is notorious for hitting, harassing, threatening other children. The logic that he is allowed to even be at a 'normal' school baffles me. And it does not compute in my brain that my son has to sit there and just take whatever he dishes out.

Screw that.

Enter my mad letter writing and photo taking skills. I photographed my son's left arm (which was the worst) and his right hand (which had only a few welts on it). I sat down and wrote a page long letter to the principal of the school, telling him that it is unacceptable that my son come home with cuts on his arms and hands, inflicted by another child. I also told him that it bothers me my son doesn't feel that any of the staff will do anything to help him when this kid starts bugging him. I told him that I've taken photos of this incident, he is more than welcome to have a copy of them, and if he doesn't contact me, I'll forward my letter to the Superintendent and the School Board.

I just shake my head over this. I mean, back in my day, if a kid behaved this way, he'd get his butt beat or tossed out of school. But now a days, any little heathen is allowed to roam the halls, abusing other people's kids, and the teachers just turn their heads the other way. What the hell is wrong with this country?

right arm 2.jpg


right arm 1.jpg

Posted by Zoso at March 20, 2007 07:54 AM
Comments

This isn't my general dislike of that place talking - but no one in that po-dunk school district is going to do anything.

I remember being in high school and this guy would harass me every day. Asking me to sit on his lap and all kinds of perverted stuff. I was doing bad in the class to begin with and asked to be seated somewhere else - the teacher told me to get over it.

Not to mention the stories mom tells about little kids wandering away from the elementary during the middle of the day, and so on...

Tell him next time he HAS to tell the bus driver and document it every time. That way they can't say he never told anyone at school. And if they don't do something call the police! There is an anti-bullying law in this state and they are completely obligated to do something about this. Not to mention the fact schools are legally responsible for the safety and well being of students in their supervision (including on buses).

But knowing those idiots they won't do anything until the justice system starts breathing down their necks or they get smacked upside the head with a lawsuit.

Since you've made the principal aware of the situation - I say laying the little SOB out is fair game. If they expell him - well - he's probably better off in a different school if it comes to that. Otherwise you could always sue.

Besides - what sort of life lesson is "just sit back and take it so you don't get in trouble"? "It's ok that you're being victimized?"

WTF.

I'd gladly see him expelled to maintain some dignity, self respect, and refuse to accept that it's ok to be victimized. That's some serious character.

Posted by: sarah at March 20, 2007 01:26 PM

Huh. I just must have gotten lucky with my bus driver. True, she was a bitch at times, but none of us ever dared to pick on one another. She'd kick ya off the bus faster than you can say 'It wasn't me' if someone was caught fighting.

I laughed myself to tears when you wrote that you told your son to "punch him in the friggen mouth." My parents would have given me the whole "violence is not the answer" lecture that is full of absolute crap. People have every right to defend themselves from bodily harm (in my opinion). The worst part is that your son shouldn't have to defend himself. That is why the bus drivers have those warning slip things and they have to authority to kick kids off the bus for an amount of time. Believe me, even if parents ignore the warning slips, they won't ignore their child's behavior when they have to drive them to school and pick them up everyday. lol. I wish that bully kid could have my old bus driver. I'd give him a week with the psycho bitch fresh from hell that wears too much eye shadow, aka Kathy, before he knocks that shit off. Of course, then he just might need some therapy. Then again, if he's trying to bite other children, he might already need it. I wonder what type of parents this kid must have. How could you not notice that your child is beating up and attempting to bite other children? Shouldn't there be signs?

Posted by: Mia at March 20, 2007 01:52 PM

Anybody who tells you that violence is not the answer has never lived in this po-dunk area. First off, it wouldn't be out of regional context if you'd told your son to have a duel with him.

Welcome to the world that rewards pacifism. The Romans loved those kind of people... they made good servants. The problem with the society that we've built on being extra cautious is that there is little reality in it. We set this standard in schools that if you physically harm an individual that you will recieve a trip to the school's counselor and possibly even get time out. We all know in the real world that if you assault somebody your ass goes to prison.

It's rather ironic too, because Americans in general have never been afraid to throw down for their well-being. At leat not historically, or at present were we've literally declared war on a concept (we don't even need to identify who we are going to beat the crap out of anymore, we just have to identify a concept we dislike).

While our hearts bleed for the "troubled" kids we weaken our society by embracing them for their flaws and force the world to adapt to their shortcomings despite the fact that they are the minority. It's unfortunate for the bleeding hearts out there but minority means exactly that. The world simply doesn't revolve around you and you have to get used to it. If your child is a raving psycho who is physically harming other children, get the little bitch a straight jacket and get his ass to the institution where they can actually treat his mental illness, not sweep it under the rug. How is he ever supposed to be a well-balanced individual when you have to hold his damn head to the bus seat to keep him from biting you? Turn off Dr. Phil and get him professional help.

Posted by: J at March 20, 2007 05:29 PM

I love you guys! I agree with each and every one of you. I'll be damned if I teach my son to be a victim. I called the principal this morning after waiting three hours after classes had started. He told me he knew my son wasn't a violent child, but was surprised he didn't fight back. I told him what my son had told me about holding the kid's head against the seat so he wouldn't be bitten, etc. Then I told him that I had informed my son that he has ever right to defend himself if something like this happens again. He's not going to sit there and take it from him. The principal agreed with me. He also told me that he told my son what I had said the night before, that it is very important for him to tell someone at the school that things like this are happening.

The kid who did this apparently doesn't come to school in the mornings (at least not 'normal kid' school), so the principal told me he had to wait for the kid to get there to deal with him. I asked him if there was anything he could do to this kid, and he said, "You bet there is." He sounded kinda angry, but we'll see. I also told him he was more than welcome to have pictures if he needed them, and he said he had looked at my son's arm that morning.

I talked to my son again after I got home from work. He said he had talked with the principal and was asked to tell what had happened. He said the principal was going to talk to him again, but was never called back to the office. My son said he never saw the kid at school that day--so maybe he didn't show up, or maybe he got into trouble. Unfortunately, they aren't obligated to tell me what sort of punishment this kid gets. However, they've been instructed that this little brat is not to come near my son again.

I've put a phone call into my son's dad--who is likely to hit the roof over this one. I'll probably give him the number to the school so he can call them too. That won't be pretty. My son's dad is a sweet guy and super mellow, but he is going to be pissed off about this and that is never pretty.

If it happens again, I will probably call the police and file a report. And more than likely, contact a lawyer to see if I have a case. I hope it doesn't come to that, but in this day and age, the system works in favor of law breakers and bastards.

So sad...

Posted by: Zoso at March 20, 2007 06:26 PM

"I hope it doesn't come to that, but in this day and age, the system works in favor of law breakers and bastards."

It may seem that way now, but present evidence in court, and that little shit's parents won't have anything to counter with, other than, "Oh, but Johnny is a good kid, he's just emotionally unstable."

If he has a record, then that record WILL be used against him, and it will be painful for both the family and the kid, considering that they will have to poney up some cash if you've had to take your child to the hospital, and other things of the sort. I should know, considering that two friends and I were jumped not a few months back by this one dude and his five other friends.

Shit, I ain't no fighter, but when I knocked him upside with my chemistry book, that bastard felt it. These kinds of people don't understand verbally, they understand physically, and if it takes physical action to get them to stop, then the person has every right to immobilize the assailant with brute force.

He now has a year of probation, has to attend anger management classes with his parents, and had to pay in excess of $900 in medical bills for my friend getting stitches.

Don't let this go. Keep up with it, and if it happens again, then your child now knows he can fight back, so he will be better off. Either way, if worse comes to worse, I'm sure his (meaning your child's)parents can rip his school and the kid a new one. :)

Posted by: Gamma Classic at March 21, 2007 07:17 PM

These kinds of people don't understand verbally, they understand physically, and if it takes physical action to get them to stop, then the person has every right to immobilize the assailant with brute force

Yup. That's what I told my son. If someone attacks me, he should defend himself.

So far, that kid hasn't been at school since.

Posted by: Zoso at March 21, 2007 07:44 PM

I'm so glad I never ran into physical bullies. I would've bitten them to pieces (my first defense, sadly. Punching just isn't good enough for me - I have to draw blood!)

Your son's arm looks terrible. How on earth did he get those marks? Was the other kid scratching him or something? Yeesh.

If ever you've watched Slayers, then you should tell your kid to promote Prince Phil and Amelia's form of pacifism - "Love and Peace Kick! Be Kind To Animals Punch!"

And I do hope that bully gets his comeuppance! Grrrr!

Posted by: Kantama at March 29, 2007 12:23 PM
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