Boy Fights back bully, gets suspended.

[Ma Huang Sor]

Shockingly, a nine-year-old boy was suspended when he fought back the bully in a Colorado school. After standing his ground to repeated bullying, school officials placed the child on leave in what was clearly self-defense.

Citing a 4/19/12 report by Fox News, third-grader Nathan Pemberton was suspended Tuesday after he was involved in a fight at West Elementary School in Colorado Springs. Allegedly, without provocation, he was attacked by another student at the school. However, when he tried to protect himself from the bully, he was placed on leave.

"One kid kicked me in the back, then punched me in the face. Then I punched him in the face and then I got in trouble."

Nathan's mother spoke up about the matter. She said this was not the first time her child was pushed around by the bully. Faced with little help from the school, she told him to stand his ground if it happens again.

"Finally, yeah, we told him, if you have to, if there’s nobody else around, you do what you have to do. The school had told us and told him as well, just walk away. Walk away, find a teacher. Well, when those things happened, and he did find a teacher, there was hardly any repercussion," said Deborah Pemberton on the boy being suspended for fighting his bully.

The school responded by citing its policy that says if an altercation takes place, all parties are suspended, not just the bully.

This case brings to mind one that took place in Tampa, Florida last year about the state's new bullying policy. It involved a nine-year-old girl who was bullied by a boy. Reportedly, the child was called demeaning names, and even pushed on one occasion.

Ironically, when the mother reported the boy, the school suspended the bully, but he remained in the girl's same class upon his return. When the girl's parents complained, they gave her the option of relocating. In other words, the bully wins, and the girl has no other option but to leave.

Despite the passing of the Jeffrey Johnston Stand Up for All Students Act aka Jeff's Law by Gov. Christ in 2008, school administrators in Florida are still not addressing complaints properly, according to some parents. The trouble with policies regarding bullying is, the act must be repeated. One time is merely harassment, according to the rules. There also must be witnesses.

However, sometimes a single episode is all it takes for a bullied child to suffer grave consequences. Sadly, a spike in suicides is being seen because the victims feel the system is ignoring them, and they have no other way out.

The boy suspended for fighting back the bully may be an extreme case of things going haywire. However, it sheds light on the fact that, as Hillary Clinton once said, "it takes a village." Parents, school officials, and legislators all have a hand in finding a resolution.

[IMaDick]

So who told on him for fighting back against the bully?

I was given the same advice by my dad back in 1967, it worked and the bully lost his ass, I wasn't suspended for taking care of myself, some rules shouldn't have changed.

[Duchess]

No one should ever get into trouble for defending himself.

[username]

In 6^th grade, this girl was following my daughter around calling her a "white bitch" and other names (the other girl was Hispanic). My daughter kept trying to walk away and the girl kept following her out to a field. At one point the girl pushed my daughter. Finally, after leading her around the school, my daughter turned around and a verbal exchange ensued. My daughter told me kids were breaking out their cellphones in hopes of filming a fight. Great.

Finally yard duty intervened and sent both girls to the office. I got a call that my daughter was going to have to go to detention while the other girl was going to be suspended for a day. I was pissed but the next morning, 3 of my daughter's friends went to the office (without prompting) and told the dean that my daughter hadn't provoked it, had tried to walk away and only told the other girl things like "you're not cool" etc. (didn't even cuss at her). They lifted the detention but yeah, I can totally see how that would happen. It's ridiculous.

[username]

The school had told us and told him as well, just walk away. Walk away, find a teacher.

^^^ This is stupid, too. Does anyone want to take a wild guess as to what happens to the kid who is seen reporting on another kid?

[HairOfTheDog]

From the article: The school responded by citing its policy that says if an altercation takes place, all parties are suspended, not just the bully.

This is fine, imo, when the altercation takes place on school grounds. Just like a bar fight or adult altercation anywhere. Cops come in; they question everyone and dole out the punishment later - same concept here with kids and school administrators. Prep for life outside the school yard and mom's house.

From the article: The trouble with policies regarding bullying is, the act must be repeated. One time is merely harassment, according to the rules. There also must be witnesses.

Most bullies like an audience. Usually witnesses, in my experience. I don't think the act should have to be witnessed or repeated for repercussions to be suffered by the bully, however. Should instead be based on the severity of the act. Quality trumps quantity, imo.
-----------------
My dad always told me not to start fights, but to finish them. Works. I didn't get the "walk away" talk and was really never a big target anyway, but did choose to walk away from a few potential scenes, wasn't worth the effort. All depends on the kid as to what strategy works best to avoid bullying. Grabbing a teacher would have been worse than getting bullied or fighting in my mindset. Old school family, maybe.

Lots of focus on the bullying issue these days - I think that's good and participated in an organized anti-bullying campaign a couple of years back. Saw some kids (and their parents) pretty harshly affected by relentless bullying. So long as it doesn't get to the point where just being called a name at school or bumped or something like that is considered "bullying", efforts to prevent/minimize bullying are productive, imo. Some of the activists that I worked with viewed dirty looks as bullying; I found that moronic (and gave them dirty looks ). Defining "bullying" and the punishments needs to be done rationally so as not to incubate a bigger crop of those with hard-core victim mentalities. Pussies aren't much higher on my list than bullies; just cause different kinds of problems.

[Maggot]

People fucked with me in school because I had long hair, after putting up with the bullshit I did a few things that scared all the bullies away and nobody ever messed with me again but they did call me strange crazy fucker after.

[HairOfTheDog]

they did call me strange crazy fucker after.

Still do...

[Duchess]

Hahahaha!

[Lady Cop]

when i was 10 a local bully was making all the kids' lives miserable. we walked to school en masse, and everyone was terrified of this boy. we'd walk a mile out of our way to avoid running into him.

well i got tired of it.
so one day i beat the living crap out of him in front of everyone.
sometimes that's all a bully understands.
of course that was humiliating since i'm a GIRL and he was a pussycat after that.
his mom would invite me for dinner all the time after that. hahahaha

[username]

Speaking of...when Ramsey posts about doing the Carlton, I want to stuff her head first into a a rank dumpster, throw in some gasoline and set the whole thing on fire.

Does that make me sound like a bully?

[Midwest Spy]

when i was 10 a local bully was making all the kids' lives miserable. we walked to school en masse, and everyone was terrified of this boy. we'd walk a mile out of our way to avoid running into him.

well i got tired of it.
so one day i beat the living crap out of him in front of everyone.
sometimes that's all a bully understands.
of course that was humiliating since i'm a GIRL and he was a pussycat after that.
his mom would invite me for dinner all the time after that. hahahaha

Did you end up marrying him?

[HairOfTheDog]

Speaking of...when Ramsey posts about doing the Carlton, I want to stuff her head first into a a rank dumpster, throw in some gasoline and set the whole thing on fire.

Does that make me sound like a bully?

Only if you plan on doing it repeatedly and in front of witnesses.

[Donovan]

There is a fantastic documentary opening today in limited release you all should try and see, I heard an interview with the guy who filmed it this morning and he was very passionate about the material. It also got raves from the critics who have seen it.



If you're interested, our local legendary DJ brother Wease did an interview with him today. Good listening.

wease interview

[Duchess]

Aww, that made me feel so sad for those kids.

When that fat, blonde bitch said, "I've been on that bus & those kids are good as gold" I wanted to jump on her back and pummel her into the ground! Ugh! That really bothered me. How the hell does she think those kids are going to act when an authority figure is around. Stupid cow.

[Donovan]

From what the director said, the movie ends on an extremely positive note, and the kid Alex is doing 100 percent better now. It was a great interview. Also, and this may be of interest to teachers onsite: the director was starting an initiative to get classrooms in to see the movie for free if teachers go to the site and sign them up. He's really intent on getting the movie and its message out...

bully project website

[HairOfTheDog]

It's really sad. There are kids that are like bully targets, through no fault of their own. That makes me the saddest. One small part of the agenda we focused upon in the anti-bullying campaign was "enabling adults". There are those teachers and other authority figures (like the bus driver) who just don't want to be bothered and turn away when really bullying is going down, some even seem to encourage it. So it just keeps happening to the same kids. Pisses me off. Some parents too. Lots of bullying kids have bullying-type or indifferent parents (not all of course).

There are also parents who firmly believed that their average or above average child (socially) was bullied when another kid or authority figure didn't like what they did and told them so. Lots actually; couldn't accept any criticism of their child and clouded the issues with claims of bullying (imo).

I think a lot of prevention could best be done at home by parents understanding and teaching their kids how fucked-up it is to pick on those that are more vulnerable before they step on the school bus. Even if the parents don't think their child would ever do something like that; once the child walks out of the house, whole 'nother set of influencers in play.

May 4^th is global STAND4CHANGE Against Bullying Day 2012 (more info at link, if interested). The funds raised support programs and campaigns that focus on anti-bullying education. Seen some good anti-bulllying programs and curriculums introduced over the last 5 years. Progress.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/defeat-lab...00105.html

Edit add: Donovan, was posting at the same time. I still have some friends that are active in the organization I worked with; seeing one of them tomorrow and will give him info on the documentary. Good piece.

[Ma Huang Sor]

when i was 10 a local bully was making all the kids' lives miserable. we walked to school en masse, and everyone was terrified of this boy. we'd walk a mile out of our way to avoid running into him.

well i got tired of it.
so one day i beat the living crap out of him in front of everyone.
sometimes that's all a bully understands.
of course that was humiliating since i'm a GIRL and he was a pussycat after that.
his mom would invite me for dinner all the time after that. hahahaha

Did you end up marrying him?

I had exactly the same thought after reading that post, too! +1

[Lady Cop]

no! hahaha