School Bullying laws are sweeping the nation

[rambone]

Anyone else noticing this? I've seen stories on bullies on several different news stations in the last week, and I typically do not watch TV at all.

Doing a little research, I noticed that this year has been a big year to push brand new laws to criminalize teasing.

How do you feel about this movement? Should school kids get in legal trouble for their harsh words? Do you accept government infringement of free speech if they use the classic "for the children" excuse?


State bill targeting bullying approved : The Boston Globe

School anti-bullying law goes into effect : News : CNYCentral.com

School advocates say anti-bullying laws needed, Emmer says no : Minnesota Independent

Anti-bullying law takes effect at start of school : Framingham, MA

School Bullying: A Tragic Cost of Forced Schooling and Autocratic School Governance

 

[dross]

I don't like the legal system entering the fray; the instrument is too blunt.

I will say, bullying is ignored and even tacitly approved by many teachers.

School should be safe for children, especially since the State mandates their attendance.

 

[rambone]

School should be safe for children, especially since the State mandates their attendance.

Well, let's define safe. Certainly beating kids up should not be tolerated. But words? Jokes? Nicknames?

 

[SemperFiUSMC]

Anyone else noticing this? I've seen stories on bullies on several different news stations in the last week, and I typically do not watch TV at all.

Doing a little research, I noticed that this year has been a big year to push brand new laws to criminalize teasing.

How do you feel about this movement? Should school kids get in legal trouble for their harsh words? Do you accept government infringement of free speech if they use the classic "for the children" excuse?


State bill targeting bullying approved : The Boston Globe

School anti-bullying law goes into effect : News : CNYCentral.com

School advocates say anti-bullying laws needed, Emmer says no : Minnesota Independent

Anti-bullying law takes effect at start of school : Framingham, MA

School Bullying: A Tragic Cost of Forced Schooling and Autocratic School Governance

The kids who never got picked to play kickball are in charge now. What did you think would happen?

Attacking bullying is a symptom.
Attacking prejudice is a symptom.
Attacking the rich is a symptom.

I could go on and on with symptoms.

The disease is this new mutant strain of liberalism that demands equality. If equality cannot be achieved peacefully, the non-kickballers will use the law to declare it and the state to enforce it.

 

[rambone]

If equality cannot be achieved peacefully, the non-kickballers will use the law to declare it and the state to enforce it.

Then we need to vote these four-eyed pansies out!!
lol

 

[LEaSH]

I don't think this is about bullying outright so much as it is to bring more young people 'within the system'.

So will we see little kids getting there own criminal records? Or 'special' education for teasers?

There will be broad grey areas for school system to school system. Carmel kids will have different standards of bullying than kids that go to school in other places. It won't help keeping kids as safe as much as it will bring more kids under government influence and control than ever before.

TinFoilOff

 

[Redemption]

Kids need to toughen up and quit being a bunch of panzie asses. I blame panzie ass parents for panzie ass kids. These are the same "everyone gets a trophy" parents that have ruined this country.

 

[techres]

Those who would most criticize these rules would be the first to call for greater morality in schools. Conservatives derive and enforce morality via religion. Liberals do something similar, but it is done via law and rules. Both are instruments of social forming and social control.

And we can all agree that little monsters need social forming and social control!

The problem is that parents have opted out, wussed out or selected out. There need be no rules if every parent were to step in and simply say, "Cut that out because that is not who we are here. Period!" Forget categories or originations, simply, behave like citizens and people.

Now those who have opted out say, "The school is doing that, I am to busy to contribute."

Those that have wussed out say "I don't want to say anything that might offend another parent."

Those who have selected out say "You can't talk to my kid that way."

Rules can work. For instance, in the latter they do function because at that point, the child WILL be spoken to in "that way".

However, rules work poorly with the wussy ones who will now hope someone else will enforce the rules. And those who opted out are too busy to notice anyways.

So, yeah, blunt the instrument is. But it can set a tone and give teachers a chance to not get sued by the 3rd group.

That is, if it is applied with half a brain and that leads to a whole nuther discussion...

 

[redneckmedic]

I say we assign all students in H.S. a handgun on day one of school. (I took this idea from my day, who thinks that you should get a hand gun instead of a boarding pass, its a self correcting situation).

 

[dross]

Well, let's define safe. Certainly beating kids up should not be tolerated. But words? Jokes? Nicknames?

Not codified in law, but cracked down hard upon by any adult in the vicinity, including a teacher.

Before I had a child, I have to admit, I was afraid of them. Big 'ol Colorado boy, ex-paratrooper, six-two, 250+, look any man in the eye, but afraid of little kids.

Now I'm a parent. Boldly willing to tell any kid to stop running in the store, or "don't throw things at people" without looking to see if there's a parent around.

If I'm a teacher, however, I will by G step up and say, "Don't make fun of that person." Better yet, I might actually TEACH them how to treat others.

Many kids don't fit in because of their lousy home life. For all you who subscribe to a particular gentle soule from a small town in the desert, treating people in the way you wish to be treated yourself should be YOUR standard. The last thing you should want is for us heathens to carry that particular load.

Disclaimer: Nothing I've just written should be construed to imply that the MWG (men with guns) should be enforcing said sentiments.

 

[longbow]

Don't get me started on this again...............

I just hope more schools don't look the other way and cover it up................

 

[308jake]

Kids need to toughen up and quit being a bunch of panzie asses. I blame panzie ass parents for panzie ass kids. These are the same "everyone gets a trophy" parents that have ruined this country.

The trophies are a disgrace and reward mediocrity. Teaching kids that you dont have to work hard to achieve "greatness." It's absolutely pathetic and the losers need their balls kicked up their throats.

 

[rambone]

Not codified in law, but cracked down hard upon by any adult in the vicinity, including a teacher.

If I'm a teacher, however, I will by G step up and say, "Don't make fun of that person." Better yet, I might actually TEACH them how to treat others.

I agree Dross. As with most things, opposing certain laws doesn't mean that I promote those kinds of behaviors.

Dealing with bullies ought to remain an issue that parents, teachers, and school administrators deal with.

Not police, not congressmen, not governors, not the government.

 

[SemperFiUSMC]

I agree Dross. As with most things, opposing certain laws doesn't mean that I promote those kinds of behaviors.

Dealing with bullies ought to remain an issue that parents, teachers, and school administrators deal with.

Not police, not congressmen, not governors, not the government.

Kids just gotta man up.

I had a kid bully me when I was growing up. Used to beat me up all the time. In 8th grade English class he was telling me about how he was going to kick my butt after school. He sat up by the pencil sharpener. I still remember getting up, walking up and sharpening my pencil as my teacher was talking. As I walked past Bully Bob him I stabbing him clean through the hand with the pencil.

I got paddled by the teacher, assistant principal, principal, my mom, and my dad. I also got a 3 day suspension. What I never got again was an ass whoopin from Lefty.

 

[dross]

Kids just gotta man up.

I had a kid bully me when I was growing up. Used to beat me up all the time. In 8th grade English class he was telling me about how he was going to kick my butt after school. He sat up by the pencil sharpener. I still remember getting up, walking up and sharpening my pencil as my teacher was talking. As I walked past Bully Bob him I stabbing him clean through the hand with the pencil.

I got paddled by the teacher, assistant principal, principal, my mom, and my dad. I also got a 3 day suspension. What I never got again was an ass whoopin from Lefty.

Now you might get suspended for years.

 

[Ogre]

Now you might get suspended for years.

plus get sent to a mental institution for evaluation, be removed from your home, have your parents evaluated by the state, and sued by the parents of the other boy.

 

[Eddie]

I don't think we need a new law. There are already plenty of laws that could be applied to bullying. We have laws against battery and harassment. We have protective and restraining orders and we have civil lawsuits.

Making a new law is often just a way for a politician to garner votes without thought as to the long term effect the new law will have. Any of you old gray haired guys tired of showing ID every time you buy a six pack?

There are several posts above addressing the movement towards that scheme of "uber equality" where everybody has to be a winner and no one ever loses. Its like the "no child left behind" laws that won't let the classroom move faster than the slowest student and makes it almost impossible to throw kids out of school. I think that everybody needs a fair shot at success, but how can there be success without failure? When everybody gets to be a winner there is no point in trying. When the class can't move faster than the slowest there is no reason to keep up.

If we legislate teasing what will really happen? Bullies will always find a way to bully and if they get charged with a crime it will just make them hate all that much more. There are good natured forms of teasing. Guys in particular horse around and pick on each other. How many of you got in a fight with a guy after school and then you were buddies after that? I think that as a culture we need to swing the pendulum back away the politcal correctness for a bit and let men laugh and fart and punch each other on the arm without making a court case out of it.

 

[Leadeye]

The new laws are just setting a buffete table for lawyers. Every time there is an issue somebody will be looking for damages claiming the school system is not following up on thier responsibility. The state will have to pay to defend the school either directly or through increased insurance premiums which everybody will pay for in new taxes.

Legions of consultants will be hired to study the problem and bureaucrats to administrate what the consultants come up with. None of these new, expensive hires will contribute to your childs education.

The new laws represent the education/industrial complex doing what it does best, spending tax money on favored groups that don't really improve your childs education.

 

[308jake]

I don't think we need a new law. There are already plenty of laws that could be applied to bullying. We have laws against battery and harassment. We have protective and restraining orders and we have civil lawsuits.

Making a new law is often just a way for a politician to garner votes without thought as to the long term effect the new law will have. Any of you old gray haired guys tired of showing ID every time you buy a six pack?

There are several posts above addressing the movement towards that scheme of "uber equality" where everybody has to be a winner and no one ever loses. Its like the "no child left behind" laws that won't let the classroom move faster than the slowest student and makes it almost impossible to throw kids out of school. I think that everybody needs a fair shot at success, but how can there be success without failure? When everybody gets to be a winner there is no point in trying. When the class can't move faster than the slowest there is no reason to keep up.

If we legislate teasing what will really happen? Bullies will always find a way to bully and if they get charged with a crime it will just make them hate all that much more. There are good natured forms of teasing. Guys in particular horse around and pick on each other. How many of you got in a fight with a guy after school and then you were buddies after that? I think that as a culture we need to swing the pendulum back away the politcal correctness for a bit and let men laugh and fart and punch each other on the arm without making a court case out of it.

It's called pussification. It's just like the old adage says, "what doesn't kill us, only makes us stronger." People want to be weak and be supported by a strong government. It should be the opposite.

 

[beararms1776]

The ones that get punished are the ones that don't take any crap and won't put up with smart mouth chumps. Your supposed to be the whippin post and like it. Any kind of defense is a no no.