[Marjorie]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAgti_2uziA

This is hard to watch. Karen Klein, a school bus monitor from Greece NY, was bullied by middle school students.

This has been all over the news and I could not find any discussion of it here.

Thoughts?

[Nick_Bradley78]

Made the news here as well, vile. Although teenagers are often vile, and then grow out of it. In a nice touch there has been an online fundraising campaign to send her on holiday, the target was $5k, its now topping $300k.

[mcknighty]

Disgusting! Definitely a different bred of kids today with NO "home-training." I was raised by my maternal grandmother; and had I ever sassed an adult I would not have any front teeth. That's just the way it was back in the 70's ... Grandma didn't play!

[Judy]

http://rochesterhomepage.net/fulltext?nxd_id=326192

The kids I rode to school with in the 1970s did the same kind of crap - it's not just today's kids - it's just that today's kids have the added incentive to 'boast' about it on YouTube, which is how they got caught. Adults who are now issuing death threats to the kids are just as heinous.

[johnofphilly]

Judy, thanks for the voice of reason. I f@#kin' hate hyperbole.

Remember Pearlie Mae's song? "It takes - two to tango, two to tango..."

[Rhodalee]

This happened in my old neighborhood. I am so old, we had no school buses -- we walked to school.

[johnofphilly]

I hate it when someone does what Marjorie did here and posts a stupid video that - in my case - won't load because an advertisement is in the way.

Anyway, I gathered from around the edges that minority boys were mocking the stodgey triple chinned old white stout granny in a burb of Rochester.

Hey, come on... what the hell do you expect?

They come from blue collar neighborhoods, and this privileged old biddy who is probably receiving full retirement income and doing this on the side, is pushed into their faces as an authority figure.

Yoo-hoo - what you SHOULD be asking yourself is: what fully knowledgeable practical joking snake of a staffer assigned this buxom old Oscar contender to this post. If she really was innocent with no knowledge aforethought as to what was coming, that's like placing a gerbil into a boa's terrarium for company. But more than likely the entire thing was an ORCHESTRATION.

As for the fat lady, she's worked herself a nice sweet deal out of all this. I sincerely hope the self-appointed slob of a martyr gets taxed out of her entire $500,000 reported donations. I have zero (0) sympathy for this pig.
She needs to be told "if you can't stand the heat, get off the bus."

I didn't hear what they said, but I don't care. This is much ado about nothing.

[Nancy]

It seems a lot of these youtube videos are staged by partners in crime to help the clown with the cell phone. It's like techno terrorism.

[Ace917]

Originally Posted by Nancy

It's like techno terrorism.

That's a spot-on metaphor.

John, I think your cynicism may be misplaced... lots of "if's" in your post, altho I know a little about where you're coming from. I did hear a little of what the little <euphemism alert> bastards were saying, but I had to change the channel... it was too ugly and heartless.

[johnofphilly]

They're definitely rotten punks. They should be forced to watch videos that would make them aware of life experiences outside of their own. Ones with testimonies from those affected peripherally. Ones with gruesome situations that would move them to beg for forgiveness.

Anyone who enjoys watching someone cry is disturbed and should be psychologically probed. And it should be somehow a part of their juvenile record that won't go away at 18, with a lengthy here-we-go all-over-again expungement process.

The collection of half a million was made by "Indiegogo" - ? - * who the hell are they? What's their validity? Who are they to decree her to be "Queen for a Day"?

If these hustlers are so good at filching money from dopes, why aren't they helping the truly needy? Or, how much are they skimming off the top.

[Added Later]: *An explanation as to who they are

The young do good'er has placed her majesty in a difficult position - if she takes the money, she's a fraud.
Not that the suckers deserve any reimbursement; but the quandry remains - what to do, what to do - with the money.

[Rhodalee]

Am I the only one who walked to school?

[Dean]

Me, but not in the snow. One of the benefits of a Southern California education.

[sabaue]

Rhoda,
For a while in junior high I walked to school.


John,
The point is she is an authority figure for those kids and there is no excuse for what they did to her.

[Susan]

...ah forget it, nothing changes

[Judy]

One of the kids is the child of a high-ranking police officer in the Rochester suburb...perhaps a police officer is considered blue-collar, but...

and if you watched the video from the nearby TV station (all videos come equipped with commercials now, by the way), you'll see the boys are from different races, not 'just' minority.

[Marjorie]

Originally Posted by johnofphilly

I hate it when someone does what Marjorie did here and posts a stupid video that - in my case - won't load because an advertisement is in the way.

Anyway, I gathered from around the edges that minority boys were mocking the stodgey triple chinned old white stout granny in a burb of Rochester.

Hey, come on... what the hell do you expect?

They come from blue collar neighborhoods, and this privileged old biddy who is probably receiving full retirement income and doing this on the side, is pushed into their faces as an authority figure.

Yoo-hoo - what you SHOULD be asking yourself is: what fully knowledgeable practical joking snake of a staffer assigned this buxom old Oscar contender to this post. If she really was innocent with no knowledge aforethought as to what was coming, that's like placing a gerbil into a boa's terrarium for company. But more than likely the entire thing was an ORCHESTRATION.

As for the fat lady, she's worked herself a nice sweet deal out of all this. I sincerely hope the self-appointed slob of a martyr gets taxed out of her entire $500,000 reported donations. I have zero (0) sympathy for this pig.
She needs to be told "if you can't stand the heat, get off the bus."

I didn't hear what they said, but I don't care. This is much ado about nothing.

John, I am not one to become confrontational at this forum because I am respectful of the tone Nancy wants here and she has made it clear she does not want conflict. However, your post is offensive on so many levels I am going to reply.

That "stupid video" has received international discussion. It is considered newsworthy because it speaks to the issue of bullying, and it is evident that nobody is immune to being a target of that vituperative agenda.

You "gathered" wrong. These were not "minority boys" and I am offended by the way you describe their elderly victim. She is not a "privileged old bitty." She was a hard working school bus driver for over 20 years and to earn extra income she became a school bus monitor. If you perceive that role as an "authority figure" perhaps you have problems with other "authority figures" such as teachers and police. Your opinion about this incident is layered and nuanced with subjectivity. And, if you believe this was "orchestrated," I really think you may see moles and insidious plots around every corner.

She did not initiate a "sweet deal" for herself. She did not premeditate a "sting." You have done nothing but insult the woman with vile charientisms ("slob of a martyr," "pig,") and you seem to be exceedingly angry.

I was a teacher for 35 years and I can tell you that students do indeed have agendas to create dynamics of conflict and do perceive teachers as the enemy and some are quite disrespectful. Some students get a great deal of fun by taunting elders. I think the wrong attitude is to blame the victim with: "if you can't stand the heat, get off the bus."

What kind of message does that send students? It says it is acceptable to taunt school personnel and those personnel who cannot "take it" are wrong to see that behavior as incorrect. They should accept being verbally abused. I am sorry. The correct approach is to educate students and teach them that snark is wrong and all people's feelings should be respected.

If you didn't hear what they said on the video and you don't care... how in the world can you post an opinion filled with angry conclusions and vile insults?

[Sarah]

I have watched this video in its entirety and what happened to Ms. Klein is despicable. Ms. Klein has worked with the Greece School District of over 20 years as a bus driver and now as bus monitor. Ms. Klein's son committed suicide when he was a teenager and to have one of the boys say to her that her children would probably kill themselves because she is so fat is horrifying. I am a nurse in a neighboring school district to Greece Central School District and I can assure you this is not an isolated incident with these students. This just happened to get posted on youtube. Neither is it just the Greece School District. This is a problem we are seeing in most of the middle schools in this area. I have heard students tell teachers and vice principals to go f--- themselves and worse things in the school where I work. Teachers are not allowed to do anything to students when this happens and the people in administration are too afraid to discipline students because they don't want to upset parents. I work in a middle school and I have seen students' behavior get worse each year. These kids do what they want to do, when they want to and know that no one is going to hold them accountable for what they do. They have no respect for anyone. The most the student gets for this type of unsavory behavior is a slap on the wrist and told not to do that again and sadly from the way the administration is talking in Greece this is what is going to happen in this case as well. Something has to be done to make these kids understand that this is unacceptable behavior and will not be tolerated because this has become a major problem in the schools.

[Bret]

I have not seen the video yet. This story did make my local news channel. Right now I have to hurry and get ready for work.

I'm sure we all agree bad manners of any kind and bullying is Bad regardless who is involved.

Susan, I know John is wrong to generalize about anyone. And picking on someone for any physical trait is just WRONG period. It is hard to imagine anyone who is more beloved on the SFF than you . And John is also a great member here.
I have known both of you for so long on this site. I just hope John will apologise for his poor choice of words. I always cringe when someone uses shallow words that can have unintended consequences.

[johnofphilly]

My description of the subject was out of line, no question.

Here was an innocent victim (I've researched the matter more). I've been up and down the piggy scale 50 pounds twice myself. And, I don't think anyone here respects the elderly more than I do.

The words I used were in fact inappropriate, and to anyone who took offense, I truly apologize.

************************************************** *********************

That said, I have a seething contempt for the news channels that are giving us this story rather than what's really going on in more important issues.

As I said above, those youths need to be admonished in a documented manner. Some sort of community service assignments would be appropriate.

But I hate it when the news media tries to yank my chain and, like Pavlov's dog, I'm supposed to start barking. I resent it.

I'm sorry she suffered scathing insults from these punks, no one should be moved to tears. But when it's dumped in my face that this highly escalated exchange has resulted in a half million dollar booby prize, that does not elicit sympathy.
I'm sure she's going to be just fine, 'specially with that touch of mink!

Once again, she can't accept that half a million without looking like a cheap opportunist. So, a civil Judge awards her, let's say, enough for a new car, or a mink. What do we do with the rest? Suggestions, anyone? None of the respondents to the blogs or correspondents on the news were beyond superficial enough to address this at all.

Most upsetting is that 99% of the people who see this aren't addressing the root of it, only the outgrowth.
Everybody is so lamely inclined to accept a totally cliched picture without a thorough investigation.
There are any of a number of things she could have done. She could have sat closer to the driver and engaged in conversation. She could have asked the School District to offer her something else, apprising them of the situation.
This is a cultivated woman, not a blushing flower.
This tale is so moldy - a femme fatale, horrible villains, and a knight in shining armour raising half a million dollars.
How lame a plot

Did I leave anything out?

I just hope John will apologise - Bret

why are you fanning the flames?

who are sticking up for the kids - Susan

your perception is mistaken. no one here is doing that.

Yes, John, in your eyes I am a slob, a pig - Sue again...

You know that ain't so. Why the drama? You know I appreciate your concerns & viewpoints

You "gathered" wrong. These were not "minority boys" - Marjorie

My bad. You're correct.

perhaps you have problems with other "authority figures" such as teachers and police - Marjorie

You couldn't be more off-base. Reach for the cliche, why doncha. (BTW: It was you who asked for "thoughts")

John, I am not one to become confrontational at this forum - Marjorie

No? Really?

[Gary]

One post away from Godwin's law.