Gay Teen: Stop Bullying or I’ll Sue

[fetaby]

canada has hate speech laws, but they're not what's being discussed here. apples and oranges. publishing anti-semitic hatred in print or announcing it in a public square on a megaphone isn't what we're talking about in the least.

also, its not bullying against gays that should be an issue, it's bullying. not SPECIAL laws, EQUAL laws. remove the gay part out of the equation completely.

and yes - schools need to address behaviour issues when they arise - if a kid is being bullied and the school knows who the bully is and doesn't do anything to address the situation, be it call the parent or if a real physical threat is identified - call the police - then there has to be accountability.

however, the school can't prevent the actual event. they can only react. call the parents of the bully responsible, maybe have a 3 day suspension - whatever. this isn't rocket science.

but to SPECIFICALLY identify that if a gay kid gets bullied - the school can be sued? fuck that. that's retarded.

And the bolded part is why this thread has been started. Gay kids are being left out of the equation. Bullying isn't handled well in schools at all, better so for recognized divisions, race and religion. But gay kids can't even get a piece of that protection.

you're right - i don't see how a responsible parent could let their child bully another kid either.

see what i did there?

Now explain the adult teachers and administrators. In the case of gay kids, it's because they aren't legally bound to do so.

 

[bankside]

Boxer, I'm born and bred Canadian, and I think you're out to lunch.

What blows me away is you get what has to be done: call the parents, suspend the bully for a few days. But you have nothing to say about the consequences when the school fails to do what has to be done.

The courts are there to make people do what has to be done when they don't use the brains in their heads to do it of their own accord. That is the entire point of civil law.

 

[boxerdudeuk]

in canada - bullying is bullying. i don't get why this is an issue.

if a kid is being picked on - the reason why isn't even a question - behaviour problems are behaviour problems. this goes back to when i was in primary school in the 70's and elementary and high school in the 80's.

you pick on a kid - get in a fight, whatever. you're dealt with. parents called. suspensions issued. end of story.

why is the gay issue even being brought up?

 

[Ninja108]

in canada - bullying is bullying. i don't get why this is an issue.

if a kid is being picked on - the reason why isn't even a question - behaviour problems are behaviour problems. this goes back to when i was in primary school in the 70's and elementary and high school in the 80's.

you pick on a kid - get in a fight, whatever. you're dealt with. parents called. suspensions issued. end of story.

why is the gay issue even being brought up?

It's being brought up because in many cases it IS the reason they are being singled out for teasing and riducle... and the schools do nothing to stop it. In many cases, they aren't legally required to..and in others, they simply view it as the kids bringing it on themselves. That's why it's being brought up.

 

[fetaby]

why is the gay issue even being brought up?

lol, cause America sucks... The country is stilted and uneven and unequal with the differences being made up by law.

You got to fight to exist. Ask the women, ask the blacks.

 

[bankside]

in canada - bullying is bullying. i don't get why this is an issue.

if a kid is being picked on - the reason why isn't even a question - behaviour problems are behaviour problems. this goes back to when i was in primary school in the 70's and elementary and high school in the 80's.

you pick on a kid - get in a fight, whatever. you're dealt with. parents called. suspensions issued. end of story.

why is the gay issue even being brought up?

If your issue is not bullying but the gay angle, I get you. But there really are schools that say "Well he brings it on himself" and "How do you expect the other kids to react given the way he is?" and "There's nothing we can do about it." They really do give a shit if a kid is bullied for wearing a crucifix, because that's "good" but they don't give a damn if a kid is picked on for seeming gay, because that's "bad."

If you've never heard of a school like that in Canada, I'm kind of proud of that, but to be honest I'm not so certain you're right that we can get up on the high horse.

But you can at least imagine a school with those problems, right? Maybe in Arizona? And I can tell you, if you have to shove it in their face to make them deal with bullying of gays the same way they deal with bullying of anyone else about anything else, then shove away.

 

[boxerdudeuk]

i'm sorry to say it, america... you've lost your way.

you freak out to enact legislation over the most focused and derivative issues to protect people from their own stupidity and force 3rd parties to be financially responsible for your children's behaviour while your currency is in total collapse, your government is eroding your civil liberties to the point of becoming a police state, and your own veterans are coming home to medical bills and bleak prospects for carving their own piece of what was once the american dream.

make less laws and start giving a shit about each other.

 

[boxerdudeuk]

I don't know about the "mutterings" of a patron, but I can tell you that businesses have a legal responsibility to ensure the safety of all of their patrons. Those who shirk this responsibility have been successfully sued.

So if the bigot became violent towards the African-American, the theatre would be taken to the cleaners.

your personal safety isn't at stake when someone simply says something to you that you deem offensive.

personal safety = physical safety.

 

[mydrew1]

The School is responsible for the child when the child is in their School.

The school is responsible for the students in regard to when on excursions too.

 

[boxerdudeuk]

Boxerdude, I'm beginning to think that, in this case, the man doth protesteth too much.

As such, were you yourself a bully?

no not in the least. quite the opposite. i was raised to respect other people and treat them with with decency and to fully comprehend that my own actions resulted in consequences - even at a young age.

not sure why that's so difficult for parents to do nowadays to their own kids. they're YOUR kids. YOU'RE responsible for what they do until they're an adult. not a third party.

i'm at a loss as to why this is difficult to understand?

 

[bankside]

no not in the least. quite the opposite. i was raised to respect other people and treat them with with decency and to fully comprehend that my own actions resulted in consequences - even at a young age.

not sure why that's so difficult for parents to do nowadays to their own kids. they're YOUR kids. YOU'RE responsible for what they do until they're an adult. not a third party.

i'm at a loss as to why this is difficult to understand?

I don't get how you don't understand that not everybody was raised that way. It is not some gay kid's problem that some of his fellow students were not raised that way. What's the kid supposed to do? Stand there and say "Your parents should have raised you with more respectful values; it is their responsibility." Pfff. Reality cheque.

If you're all in favour of suing the parents of the bullies, instead of the school, let us know. But as long as the school chooses to leave the bullies around the school to harass the gay kid instead of
a) teaching them what the parents didn't about respecting others or
b) dealing consequences up to and including expulsion of the bullies,
then gay kids are going to sue, and they're going to win, and they ought to win.

 

[DJ1990]

he has a cute nosie

 

[Ninja108]

I don't get how you don't understand that not everybody was raised that way. It is not some gay kid's problem that some of his fellow students were not raised that way. What's the kid supposed to do? Stand there and say "Your parents should have raised you with more respectful values; it is their responsibility." Pfff. Reality cheque.

If you're all in favour of suing the parents of the bullies, instead of the school, let us know. But as long as the school chooses to leave the bullies around the school to harass the gay kid instead of
a) teaching them what the parents didn't about respecting others or
b) dealing consequences up to and including expulsion of the bullies,
then gay kids are going to sue, and they're going to win, and they ought to win.

^ Kudos to everything in this post.

 

[mydrew1]

he has a cute nosie

The student in question you mean? Yeah, he's hot.

 

[boxerdudeuk]

I don't get how you don't understand that not everybody was raised that way. It is not some gay kid's problem that some of his fellow students were not raised that way. What's the kid supposed to do? Stand there and say "Your parents should have raised you with more respectful values; it is their responsibility." Pfff. Reality cheque.

If you're all in favour of suing the parents of the bullies, instead of the school, let us know. But as long as the school chooses to leave the bullies around the school to harass the gay kid instead of
a) teaching them what the parents didn't about respecting others or
b) dealing consequences up to and including expulsion of the bullies,
then gay kids are going to sue, and they're going to win, and they ought to win.

you bring up some great points here. i'll give you that.

i guess i just have a problem with what seems like such an increasingly systemic disregard for common sense. people refuse to take personal responsibility for anything and are so quick and desperate to blame others for their own situatons. too many situations are resolved in the courts instead of being solved in the home. it's such a fundamental philosopcal issue that has snapped so far out of reach that i dont't know if normalcy and basic respect for each others can be achieved again. it's a sad sad reflection on what's the norm nowadays.

 

[boxerdudeuk]

The student in question you mean? Yeah, he's hot.

and 15..... gross

 

[hotatlboi]

I won't say what I think of the student's level of attractiveness being that he is 15, but I'll just say that I think he looks older than that.

 

[Ninja108]

I hate these bullying discussions. People usually fall into two camps... (1) bullying is despicable and bullies should be burnt at the stake and (2) who cares about bullying... it builds character.

Obviously that's a lame attempt at being humorous but you get my point.
I really don't like too much legislation about bullying though... if I accuse someone I don't like of bullying me.. (even though I may be lying).. how would the school react?
We need a balance between coddling these kids and overreacting and at the same time making sure support is available

Agreed...but in so many of these cases, not only is there no support,the school ends up blaming the victim instead of the bully or worse,they condone it.

 

[Callum]

This is probably the dumbest thing I've seen in a while....and I just watched Sarah Palin's Alaska.

It is impossible to 'stop bullying' of any sort, nevermind the 'gay-bashing' sort. This child is...being a child.

 

[Mstrshake]

^Of COURSE I am...

I said I liked his spirit...

just thought his approach was a little heavy handed...

his approach was assertive and demanding

doesn't make it bullying