What should be the penalty for school bullies?

1. 83

   gmwilliamsposted 12 years ago

   What should be the penalty for school bullies?
   
   School bullies should be expelled from schools and placed in juvenile detention or prison.   They deserve no clemency nor reeducation whatsoever.  If a "child" is old enough to bully another, he/she should be criminalized.

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2. 61

   Josakposted 12 years ago

   I could not disagree more, "bullying" (which has no clear definition) is just a part of childhood and childhood psychology, as kids grow they instinctively seek group dominance and social security by ostracism it's not pleasant but it's simply what happens in every school in every country in every time and nothing adults can do will change it. Not to mention that it's nigh on impossible for teachers etc. to determine who the bully is, if a whole group of bullies accuse one guy of being the real bully he would look guilty by force of testimony and we would end up punishing innocents.
   
   Statistical evidence suggests that people described as bullies at school age actually grow up to be very successful, statistically more so than the norm, but force those same kids into juvie and you will get actual criminals and thus harm society as a whole.

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      fairvanityposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I agree totally. I was "bullied" relentlessly as a kid because that's what kids do to each other. It's part of life, and if parents would just teach kids some self esteem it wouldn't bother them so much.  It's overblown and overused.

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   2. 0

      Larry Wallposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I was bullied and it was not my choice. I had a speech impediment. Bullies made fun of it. I had poor vision--lousy in sports--bullies in gym class--bullies are real and most do not ask to be bullied. It should not be thought of as part of childhood.

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   3. 83

      gmwilliamsposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you, Larry, totally concur!  I believe that bullies should be expelled from school and have a paper trail as a permanent record against them.   In addition to that, they should be put in either a juvenile detention center or jail to teach them!

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   4. 60

      skolesikposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Bullying is a lot different now than it was in my day.  With computers and weapons involved it becomes much more than bothersome.  It can become dangerous.

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   5. 61

      Josakposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I am not suggesting that victims of bullying choose it or that it's their fault but that rather we do so much more harm actually turning those bullies into real criminals, as for bullying changing frankly I think it's better than it was now.

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   6. 83

      gmwilliamsposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Larry, those who portend that bullying is part of childhood are totally delusional.  Bullying is a form of harassment and a crime.   People should stop being lenient towards bullies.   If a child bullies, then he/she should be punished, not counseled

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   7. 82

      Laura Schneiderposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Josak and fairvanity, I wish you were joking! I cannot believe what I read. I'm with Larry Wall and others and I only disagree with gmwilliams about "bullies, then... should be punished, not counseled"--I think they need BOTH, along with the parents.

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3. 0

   Sophia Angeliqueposted 12 years ago

   The child should be sent to an environment where it is impossible to meet others - either through isolation, or because the kids are bigger than him, or any other way that prevents him from bulling others. In all of this, he must be treated with absolutely kindness and patience, given goals to work towards, and go to classes at least once a day for a year that explains the psychology about bullying...

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4. 61

   HattieMattieMaeposted 12 years ago

   Fortunately you'd have to put all the adult bullies in the same place since they are the ones that teach children by example. Fortunately there are to many bullies in the world we could never afford all the prison space, and people can change if they choose too. It would be better to just educate people.

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   1. 0

      Larry Wallposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I do not disagree with anything you say. However, the bullies need to know there will be consequences. Perhaps bullies and their parents should be forced to attend training sessions for a month every other evening. That might motivate the parents.

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5. 84

   Pamela N Redposted 12 years ago

   It depends on the severity of the bullying but counseling should be at the top of the list as well as reviewing the child's home life.
   
   Children are not born a bully and usually learn this behavior from home. If they are abused they grow up in that atmosphere not knowing any other way.
   
   I'm not condoning this behavior but we need to look at the reasons for his/her actions and see if the child needs to be removed from the home. 
   
   Placing them in juvenile detention is not the only solution and can make their behavior worse; they will still bully others just in a different location as well as be abused further by bad kids in the facility only contributing to their negative actions.

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      skolesikposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I have to agree.  I work with youth who are in the system due to abuse or neglect.  There is a lot that goes on in a home.  It can either be positive or negative.  I see a lot of so called "bad" kids.  Sometimes all they need is someone to listen.

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   2. 83

      gmwilliamsposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Not necessarily, if he/she is placed in a juvenile detention center, there are bigger and badder children.   He/she will have a comeuppance by such kids so to speak.    He/she will learn the folly of his/her actions-that IT DOES NOT PAY TO BULLY!

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   3. 61

      Josakposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      AHAHAH Gmw, that is not what happens in jail, people in jail become criminals and join gangs, people who don't get a proper education (because they are in jail) are also far more likely to become criminals, at best it makes them better bullies.

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6. 0

   Deb Welchposted 12 years ago

   I do agree that bullying is found within children, teenagers, and many adults.  There are many forms of bullying - too - if you want to get technical.  One is illegal entry, (trespass), illegal surveillance or listening devices - these are all tactics of bullying - they want to change something about that person or that person's lifestyle.  Who are they to do that?  No one should have the right to push themselves upon others in a bad way or an illegal way in order to gain something that most probably isn't right in the first place.  I think mandatory psychology classes, hours of Community Service in relation to the scenario, curfew, and maybe home Tutoring for a good length of time are some ideas I have for punishment.  The Underworld - Mafia - are the biggest bullies alive in the world today - the horrific things they do onto others is really big time Crime.  Good Forum Thread.

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      Deb Welchposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I forgot to mention Gangs.  We really have had too much of this type of bullying.  Hate Crimes  and unruly Protestors carted away by Police. A few more prevalent examples.

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   2. 83

      gmwilliamsposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      BULLIES are criminals.   I do not believe in justice for criminals.  Criminals NEED  to be punished.   Let's put bullies in either a juvenile detention center of jail if older.    Juvie and/or prison will teach such bullies that it is wrong to bully!

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7. 61

   benisan85745posted 12 years ago

   A slow dance, while apologizing to the victim at the next school social.

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8. 61

   SpanStarposted 12 years ago

   Bullying is not a harmless space by which people should ignore. (American SPCC) American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.
   According to this website 160,000 students in the USA refuse to go to school due to the physical and verbal aggression towards them.
   The website also lists "Victims of bullying often experience:"
   * Headaches and stomach pains
   * Reduced appetite
   * Shame, anxiety, irritability
   * Aggression and depression
   
   How effective can a student the in class or out of class be if their physical, and well-being is affected so drastically by unwanted acts of bullying?
   
   http://americanspcc.org/lp/bullying-01/
   
   From my point of view unfortunately there are a number of circumstances which could lead to bullying such as having an environment that unknowingly promotes bullying such as favoring athletic jocks and not taking the complaints of bullying seriously but these are only a few avenues I see towards bullying.

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      Patty Inglish, MSposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I agree - it is not harmless, but has caused a number of deaths in children in grades 1 - 12.

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   2. 83

      gmwilliamsposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      THANK YOU SPANSTAR AND PATTY, you both have sense.  Bullying is indeed a crime and its perpetrators should be severely punished.   First, bullies should be expelled from school.  They should have a permanent record.   They NEED to be punished!

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9. 0

   Larry Wallposted 12 years ago

   I do not have an answer. Teachers never see bullies, because bullies are smart enough not to get caught. The victim, and they are victims, cannot go to the teacher because it is his word against the word of the bully. You can write rules, but bullies do not care about rules.
   
   I missed a lot of school because I did not want to deal with these people. I did not back down and I did not fight them. I could not stop their insults, their shoving in the hallway, knocking books out of my hands or making fun of the way I talked, but I did not give into them. Some of them, I know are doing time. Some did not finish high school. They decided their own punishment. It  is a problem that has been made worse by cyber bulling where horrible stunts and pranks are sent over the internet for the world to see. If a person is proved to be a bully, he should be removed from that school. If he is only expelled, he will come back. If he bothers the student off campus, a restraining order should be issued and the bully's parents will then have to work to make their child accountable for his or her actions. Strong measures are needed. The problem is only getting worse.

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      fairvanityposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I have to disagree because I have seen teachers actually make it worse since often the bully is the 'pet' of the teacher and can get away with stuff others can't. Teachers pick winners and losers in the classroom and can do a lot of damage.

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   2. 61

      Josakposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Statistically bullies actually have more life success, taking them out of school on the other hand will criminalize them and does an incredible amount of damage as punishment for a childhood indiscretion.

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   3. 83

      gmwilliamsposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Josak, you are wrong.  Bullies are more likely to become criminals by the time they are in their early 20s.    Yes, those "children" should be separated from the rest of the school population and incarcerated in juvie or jail if old enough!

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   4. 0

      Deb Welchposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I remember in Jr. High - a switch blade was put to my neck in gym, I was beaten up by a gang walking home from high school - they were let go - nothing was done.

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   5. 79

      Express10posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Quite often, many teachers and adults ignore bullying no matter where it occurs whether in or out of school. Bullying occurs everywhere even between people that don't know each other. Sometimes a taste of their own medicine will do bullies good.

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10. 58

    My Minds Eye53posted 12 years ago

    I have a friend from Iran. His family was well to do but that had nothing to do with his being a bully.  He happened to be a bigger child than the other children. Muzy told me that on his 10th birthday his father threw him a big party, surprised him with quite a guest list of children from his class.  Turns out they were all kids he had bullied. Not one of them was his friend.  His father smiled, told him to have fun,left the room and promptly locked them all in.
    When they were let out, Muzy looked like he had been run over by a herd of cows.  The only one not smiling.
    My friend told me he laughs about it now, but he did learn his lesson and he never bullied again.

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    1. 83

       gmwilliamsposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       This is the SECOND best answer!   LOVE this answer!

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    2. 58

       My Minds Eye53posted 12 years agoin reply to this

       I really think most of the answer is with the parents of the bully in recognizing and being able to see their child is a bully and willing to take steps.  Most parents do not want to think of their child as a bully so ignore the signs.

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    3. 0

       Larry Wallposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       Unfortunately, some of these children have parents who were bullies and think it is just part of growing up. Bullying has been going on for decades if not generations. It is just getting worse.

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    4. 83

       gmwilliamsposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       Larry,  I reiterate that bullies are hoodlums who deserve to be criminalized and punished.   I agree with MyMindsEye regarding this issue.    I believe that there should be punishments for school bullies.   Juvie will teach bullies a valuable lesson!

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11. 60

    Kevin Peterposted 12 years ago

    School bullies should be given strict punishments because their actions may hurt or frighten the weaker students. It even hinders the personal development of most of such students.

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    1. 83

       gmwilliamsposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Totally agree. They should be permanently expelled from school and placed into a juvenile detention center or prison.

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12. 82

    Laura Schneiderposted 11 years ago

    Bullies and their parents who allow it or are aware of it and do nothing... there's a special place in hell for them, I hope. If you think bullying is not a crime, or that it's related to age, then read this SMALL PART of my experience.
    
    I lived in an apartment with my service dog until a few years ago, when we were bullied into moving (to a townhouse--much better)! Most every time I took her out to potty, a mob of little preschool criminals would appear, shout, harass us, barking, screeching, and finally inciting my dog to forget her training and defend us from these predators, who circled and thereby trapped us on my patio and grass area where the dog was only needing to go potty. Because the dog was aggressive in response to months of provocation, the kids said she was a "mean dog". Next time we went out, they threw LANDSCAPING ROCKS at us when I didn't let them pet her (against my rules while she's working). Parents watched silently from patios and balconies--nobody said/did anything as the rocks were flying at us and I tried to restrain my sweet, well-trained dog from EATING the little monsters, growling viciously every time a rock thudded against her poor body (never mind mine). I finally got her back into the apartment and into her kennel where she felt safe and could calm down while I had a panic attack in the other room without her to help because I didn't want to further draw attention to/escalate the significance of what just happened. Next morning--a death threat against her chalked on my patio wall, taller than me: huge black dog with bleeding red X through it. Coming home from work (her on duty, in-vest), a boy of 10-12 years left his father's side dressed for martial arts and ran at us from about 15 yd/m away yelling karate stuff and menacing his wooden sword. My dog again responded to defend us from attack and I fell down on the pavement needing my full body weight to stop her from getting at the boy, whose father did NOTHING to restrain HIM. They vanished, without apology. Police came and sat with me for an hour of another multi-hour panic attack, my dog safely in her kennel having her own; my work clothes shredded, knees and arms bleeding...they closed the case and left. And that's how my $20,000 service dog's career ended (learned hatred of children). And my life also; so far unable to retrain her enough to work again.
    
    Hold parents responsible for letting their kids be crooks and require reeducation of all, too!! BAD KIDS<=>BAD PARENTS

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    1. 83

       gmwilliamsposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       In TOTAL agreement, Laura, couldn't have said it better!

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