The War Against Seniors - Bus Monitor Bullied
By now everyone has seen all of, or parts of, the video of School Bus Monitor Karen Klein being bullied by the Grade 7 and 8 students she was supposed to be in charge of. If you haven't then play this:
The students involved had done this before and had posted other videos on Facebook, thinking it was funny.
The Assistant School Superintendent (not the Superintendent) and Police Captain (not the Chief) made this public statement:
Some things to consider:
1) The victim was not outraged and did not feel empowered to respond to the bullying.
2) The bullying hit on things that are normal in a person of her age, but are not accepted by the advertising media: weight, looks (age is ugly), and ridiculing her emotional response (crying)
3) No special instruction or training has been instituted in that school system in response that teaches children to respect their elders.
Children of that age are just learning to form their responses to the world for themselves and to adapt as socially responsible adults. When all they see is mass-market media that denigrates Seniors then this type of action will become all the more common.
As long as Seniors do not see this for what it is: straight-up discrimination and bigotry; and continue to accept blame because they cannot control it all by themselves, or invent excuses due to some mis-perceived and invented personal failing, then there will be no reason for the Police Chiefs, School Superintendents and others in charge to do anything other than attribute this harassment to youthful hi-jinks and let it continue. If Seniors stop marginalizing themselves then society will have to put more effort into maginalizing them, and just may find out the attempt is not worth the money involved.
Complain to the sponsors over the social networks about advertising you feel degrades you, marginalizes you or does not recognize your rights or your worth.
Let your MP and MPP know when they want to pass laws that erode your rights, and do it publicly so that they can see they are upsetting more than one person.
If a radio or TV personality is offensive to you then contact that program's sponsors, like what was done to Rush Limbaugh.
Above all, don't just take it in stride and do nothing, and never, ever, blame yourself for their failures.
Comment
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Comment by Shelley Smith on July 6, 2012 at 12:55pm -
The son not the father should have come forward.
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Comment by Patrick Frank on July 5, 2012 at 11:17am -
The kids' acts were reprehensible and their suspension was well deserved. But the monitor should have stood up to them. And where was the bus driver in all of this. She should have stopped the bus and stood up for the monitor.
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Comment by Kimberly on June 22, 2012 at 8:37pm -
The father of one of the boys has now come forward and apologized for his son. He even went to her house to do it. He said, "All the children and the members of the children's households are now receiving death threats." The lady abused said, "She thinks the best thing for the children would be community service." She seems like a woman with a big heart. And she wants to go back on the bus to do her job.
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Comment by Kimberly on June 22, 2012 at 11:51am
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Throughout history the elders were looked to for advice and needed for the lessons they have learned so the next generation do not make the same mistakes, but it seems to be this generation is not being taught that. And I think I know why.
Many of them are angry at the state of the world they will inherit. Many of them listen to the fact that there are no jobs and in the US they are trying to do away with social security. I cannot even imagine our country without it. In all, the children and adolescents are carrying around a lot of fear, uncertainty and perhaps even anger at those old enough to have done something about these situations. And that will include me sometime in the future.
I do not believe it is right because they need to learn what worked and what did not. But from listening to those young ones, this is what I have gotten from them. But this applies to the US more than Canada. I am really not sure what the state of Canada is in.
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Comment by Shelley Smith on June 22, 2012 at 11:26am
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I didn't open the clips. No need. After 30 years of teaching, nothing surprises me. Teaching responsibility and compassion is one of the most difficult tasks teachers have. However, parents must step up and begin teaching and modelling this behaviour at home. And if their child exhibits bullying behaviour, they should take the opportunity to reinforce these expectations, not defend the child's actions. Awful.
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Comment by Shelley Smith on June 21, 2012 at 10:50pm
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Steve,
I have to admit I did not open either video. I couldn't. The content of your blog was enough. I retired a year ago after 30 years of teaching. The hardest thing to teach kids was for them to be compassionate and responsible for their actions. This was inevitably hampered by parents and at times administrators who defended them regardless of how cruel they might be. Awful.
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