So when is this alright?

[James]

Iowa parents defend bullying of autistic teen

By Eric Pfeiffer 4 hours ago


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Local parents have defended the bullying of a 13-year-old with Autism (WhoTV.com)

A 13-year-old autistic boy has been punched, teased and had his condition mocked in online videos by his peers. But the parents of the accused children say they were justified in bullying the Iowa teen.
On Monday, WhoTV.com ran a story about how the classmates of Levi Null had posted a video online showing Null suffering from symptoms of Asperger syndrome, a form of autism. In the video, classmates taunt Null, and teachers in the classroom appear to turn a blind eye to the behavior.
However, the station says that after airing the story, it actually received more than 100 emails from parents, shockingly with many of them defending the bullying at Melcher-Dallas High School, saying the child brings it on himself.
“I would say three-fourths of this stuff he brings on himself and probably a fourth of it is bullying that shouldn’t be going on,” said Levi Weatherly, father of the teen accused of posting the video online.
The school’s principal wrote Null’s mother an email saying the behavior documented in the video does not amount to bullying. Nonetheless, two of the students were disciplined and the video was reportedly deleted.
In a video interview with the station, Principal Josh Ehn actually said it is the students' responsibility to handle cases of bullying. “We try our best to educate our staff, to educate our students to react to the cases, to investigate the cases we have,” Ehn said. “But ultimately, it’s got to come down to the kids to take ownership for this and to stand up for the kids who can’t stand up for themselves.”
The principal’s decision was defended by School Board President Bob Lepley, who told the station, “I stand by our principal. … According to his investigation I’ll have to stand by him.”
So why would the principal, the school board president and a number of parents defend the alleged bullying?
“He called my nephew a nasty name, and my nephew Cole cocked (sic) him in the mouth,” resident Jamie Harrison wrote to the station. “I’m proud of my nephew for doing that.”
“This kid has done things to get people mad that I think he could probably control,” added resident Nate Goof.
Levi's mother, Dawn Simmons, says that she herself has even been targeted by some of the parents since complaining to the school about the video.
“It’s been a very frustrating day for all of us,” she said.
However, Simmons told the station that two of the students have since apologized to Levi, saying they didn’t realize how their actions had affected him.

[Miles]

Ignorant bully parents produce ignorant bully kids, who'd a thunk it

[MisterTinkles]

I dont know this kid, so I cannot say anything on (or against) his behalf.

BUT.....

There are kids out there who have "issues", who are fully competent and aware of what is going on, what is being said, and what they are doing. Ive seen it many times.

These kids are pampered, catered too, and treated like they shit gold bars and fart fresh air.
Their parents and friends treat them like this all of their lives, so this is what they know.

Just like some bitch ass princess wannabe who has been catered too and bowed down too, who knows how to throw tantrums and get what she wants out of mommy and daddy.....so do these kids.

You put them into the real world, and they get nasty, hateful, and even violent when everybody else on this planet does not bow down, kiss their ass, and do what they DEMAND of others to do for them.

Bullying comes in MANY forms.

Im not saying this is what has happened, but Ive seen it way too many times not to know about it.

I dont give a shit whats wrong with you......you dont treat others as your personal slaves without getting backlash. But of course, all the namby-pamby buttkissing bootlickers are going to go to the aid of the kid they are "supposed" to feel sorry for. REGARDLESS of all wrong doings by these types of kids.

[Sylph]

I remember a gurl in highschool who had down syndrome and was probably one of the baddest bitches you'd come across lol.

Like she was nice and all, but say someone said something about her hair, she'd shit on their whole life, talking about their mama and stuff, which is particularly offensive here and she was never really hit or whatever,but she got reprimanded cause she knew exactly what she was doing.

So I can understand and agree with Mr.Tinkles,

However, your an adult, a parent, set a better example and stop being petty ass bitches. You don't say someone deserves nothing for nothing if you don't know the whole deal.

My Mama let me find my own path and all that, she never told me a kid deserved this or that for anything they did to me or whatever. She told me to stand up for myself and to not let people take advantage.

To tell a kid "oh he deserved it cause he acts like a shit head" is basically encouraging bullying and if I was that child's parent or a parent in that area, those people would hear my half-black ass mouth, cause that's why America has all those bomber people and stuff.

But seriously, I don't think it was okay for the parents to defend or even cast a biased opinion on the matter, especially when it wasn't their child that got bullied.

My child's peers' parents had better not try that if their child bullies mine, cause gurl lol. I'd beat some ass ;p

[Bowyn Aerrow]

Without the video or examples of the 'victim's' behaviors nor a diagnosis or his medical file I can't pick a side.

True what Mr T said - there is a behavioral issue that isn't addressed in many cases. Is this one of them? I don't know.

People will lash out at bad behaviors - society has certain expectations of people.

[dfiant1]

Violence can never be justified. Punching someone in the mouth because you were calle a rude name? Not justified...being proud of your child for punching another kid in the mouth because he was called a rude name...beyond moronic.

Children are being taught that it is OK to retaliate because parents and teacher are not correcting this behaviour.

Children should be taught to be more patient and accepting of a special needs child. It's ok to stand back and say 'The kid deserves it because of his behaviour.' but no one in that story bothered to find out WHY this aspergers kid was behaving like this, and taking a few seconds out of their day to explain why its a bad thing to call people names.

It is far more efficient to smack the kid in the mouth than to take the time to understand. This is how Dylan Klebolds and Eric Harris' are bred.

[MisterTinkles]

Violence can never be justified. Punching someone in the mouth because you were calle a rude name? Not justified...being proud of your child for punching another kid in the mouth because he was called a rude name...beyond moronic.

Children are being taught that it is OK to retaliate because parents and teacher are not correcting this behaviour.

Children should be taught to be more patient and accepting of a special needs child. It's ok to stand back and say 'The kid deserves it because of his behaviour.' but no one in that story bothered to find out WHY this aspergers kid was behaving like this, and taking a few seconds out of their day to explain why its a bad thing to call people names.

It is far more efficient to smack the kid in the mouth than to take the time to understand. This is how Dylan Klebolds and Eric Harris' are bred.

Well, you have to look at what state these people live in....Iowa. One of the "white trash" states. Low class, low mentalities, no morals. Im not saying everybody in Iowa is that way....but its a statistical fact that Iowa is one of the white trashiest states in the Union. So, given that.....you cant expect "parents" to use any kind of common sense or ethics. Hell, they probably share one working brain cell between them.

On the other hand, the lack of spankings and harsh punishments for this type of thing are no longer allowed, because of the wishy-washy, cry baby, whiny, sniveling, cowardly , complaining dickweeds who have thrown such hissy fits over the years because THEY think its a BAD thing to spank your kid when he/she has been a freeking asswipe to others.

1 to 3 good smacks across the face or ass at a young age, usually does the trick. Now thats considered "abuse"......so these bastard kids grow up (regardless of "issues" or not) thinking the whole fucking world should be kissing their asses, because mommy and daddy did.

Im just saying....

[nfisher1226]

It's not ever really justifiable to generalize an entire state and say that type of crap, Mr T. Which is a shame, because there were some really good points about discipline and coddling in there. I agree with most of it except the crap about Iowa being "the white trashiest".

Kids will often disappoint. They are immature because, ding ding, they're not fully grown yet. I think kids need to see some bullying while they're kids in order to understand the behaviors. It needs to be kept in check by the adults, who need to make sure the kids are made to know they're being little shitheads when they engage in it. I've told other people's kids they're being little shits when they were picking on a weaker kid. I'd do it again. I wish they're parents would. I wish the teachers had a more free hand to speak up about it sometimes.

That said, the kids will still do it when an adult isn't looking, and adults aren't always looking. Some of the more important lessons in my childhood revolved around how to handle bullies. In a couple cases the bully learned a really valuable life lesson when they're chosen target had enough and handed them a solid ass whooping. In one case I stepped in between a bully and another kid myself. Now I really was just trying to get the damn bully off the other kid, but he wasn't having any of that and wanted to make something of it. Frankly I had to defend myself as soon as his attention shifted to me. I'm happy to say I was able to do so more than adequately.

Violence is going to happen sometimes too, and you can't root it out and shouldn't be so unrealistic as to say violence is never justified. It's not the first, second, or even tenth resort most of the time. But there are situations where it's the only resort from a practical standpoint. I'm not going to be convinced otherwise.

Kids actually will police themselves to a point, and their peers. But there are times when nobody has the guts to be the one standing up for the weaker kid. As a parent if I found out about a situation where my kids just stood by I'd ask them point blank, where were you? You see that or anything like it again you need to see that something gets done about it. You either do it yourself or find someone who can.

And yeah, if it were my kid who was the one picking on another they'd have an unforgettable lesson about it. But my kids know they're loved and don't doubt it. It's the balance between discipline and love that is not being met by a lot of parents. I see kids around town who desperately need they're shit straightened out. I also know of a few who are just ignored. It's the parent's lack of attention that fucks them up in both cases. They need to care enough to take an active interest in their kids' lives and make them feel like they matter. They also need to care enough to say "stop being a little asshole" from time to time, and to say it with feeling and get the point across.