Father Storms Bus, Confronts Disabled Daughter's Bullies

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MrsSpringsteen

MrsSpringsteen

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I think this man was clearly so upset that he couldn't control himself any more, even though he should have. A sad commentary on the school bullying that's going on these days and how helpless and angry some people feel about it. I guess any other action he took about the bullying isn't known and the school won't say. No parent should get to this point, but I do understand his anger. Why are kids bullying disabled kids?

Apparently there's a Facebook page in support of him, so it's tapping into something.

Dad Storms Bus, Confronts Disabled Daughter's Bullies - News Story - WFTV Orlando

Posted: 6:18 am EDT September 17, 2010 Updated: 5:04 pm EDT September 17, 2010

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. -- A father, who was trying to protect his disabled daughter from her alleged bullies, was caught on camera threatening students on a school bus.

James Jones' daughter suffers from cerebral palsy and is now on suicide watch. The girl's father boarded the school bus on September 3 and threatened students during a profanity-laced tirade.

"I'm going to (expletive) you up. Show me which one! Show me which one!" Jones exclaimed while aboard his daughter's school bus.

Jones was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and disturbing a school function. He bonded out of jail Thursday night.

WFTV spoke with Jones off-camera, who said he wishes kids would understand how much pain bullying and taunting causes other children. His daughter had just begun middle school at Greenwood Lakes.

James Jones is home while his sixth-grade daughter is hospitalized on a suicide watch. He is only speaking publicly through his attorneys.

"It is a deeply-troubling situation that they are going through right now, so they are praying about it and working through it," said Sadiki Alexander, Jones' attorney.

Police said Jones not only threatened the lives of students on the bus, he also gave physical threats to the driver. Alexander said Jones felt helpless after a month of bullying suffered by his disabled daughter.

"His daughter has been subject to her peers throwing unwrapped condoms at her, uh, pinching her, hitting her, taunting her for almost a month now," Alexander said.

The school district will not talk about the case, but said all incidents of reported bullying are investigated. They will not say if or how many times the case was reported to them, but the sixth-grader said the bullying continued even after her father angrily boarded the bus.

"This young lady has been bullied since the first day of school. This is a new school for her. She is currently on suicide watch because of this matter," Alexander said.

Alexander said Jones has no prior criminal convictions, other than traffic violations. They are addressing both the charges against him and looking into the actions of the school and bus driver over the alleged bullying.


There's even video on YouTube. The kids were laughing :slant:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pvsVHdepsw
 
I can't objectively comment on this one since I've done pretty much the same thing.

Granted I was eleven and the bullies were taunting my younger brother on the bus.

Now that I'm a parent, if my child gets bullied to that extent and the proper channels are not effective...well...my reaction may not be entirely rational either.
 
Why are kids bullying disabled children, or any children, for that matter? Because they're not taught simple things such as respect and decency. I was the victim of some cruel kids when I was in school, and I know full well the kids who did the bullying towards myself (and other kids, disabled and non-disabled, as well as teachers) came from homes where they had sorry excuses for parents. How's a kid supposed to learn manners and be a proper example of humanity and compassion if they don't have proper teaching of those concepts?

This guy probably didn't need to say half the stuff he's quoted as saying. I can fully understand his anger and his ranting and raving-it'd be awfully hard for me to resist wanting to get up there and do similar things to defend and protect my child. Unfortunately, his choice of language towards a group of kids may not work in his favor, especially since it seems it didn't faze the kids all that much, and perhaps made the situation worse. Had all other options been tried and none of them worked? I would suggest going to the actual parents of said kids and confronting them, but of course, that's liable to have its own potential problems. But they are the ones we should be targeting. The kids just go by what they've learned, the parents need to start being held responsible and maybe that'll help things change.

I am seriously heartbroken to hear about his daughter being on suicide watch :(. Good god. Here's hoping she'll get the proper help and care and love and concern that she needs to deal with all of this messy bullcrap, so that she doesn't have to go through such pain anymore :hug:.

Angela
 
I can't blame the guy. It's ok for kids to harrass other kids (even disable ones) but they can't take a good talking to? So the guy cursed and made threats. I'm sure each of those kids have threated to "kill" another person, it's a figure of speech. If they were scared of him, good. That's kind of the point. I'd be more pissed at the school and bus driver that allow this to happen.
 
Maybe he could have handled it better and I don't know if he tried any other remedies. But I'm pretty sure somebody saw what was happening to that girl and closed his/her eyes. But I've seen too many school situations where the administration/etc. turn their backs away from the bullying--sometimes to protect the bully, sometimes out of personal fear, sometimes out of an inability to handle the situation. If the grownups aren't going to protect the children, somebody has to.

I'm amazed even in the grown up world just how many horrible people there are and how many "good and decent" people enable and protect those horrible people. Where do people turn? I'm surprised more people don't lose it.
 
This is sad, but I think it is even more sad and harmful that seatbelts aren't mandated on all school buses.

Not to change the subject, but...

:shrug:
 
kramwest1 said:
This is sad, but I think it is even more sad and harmful that seatbelts aren't mandated on all school buses.

Not to change the subject, but...

:shrug:
Click to expand...

It's not like there's enough space anyway if you're jammed in three to a seat.
 
On a superifcial view of the issue, I tend to lean towards supporting the guy 100%.
I didn't watch the video or anything but picking on a kid with cerebral palsy? Holy fuck.

Maybe he should have just paid some same-age kid to beat their ass. (joking...sort of)
 
I am (somewhat) aware of this story.

I have not read the article or watched the vid. I really don't want to.


But, I will put forth a solution. To prevent things like this or even worse things in the future.

I think all school buses should have video cameras at all times while in use.

After the complaint of bullying the video could have been reviewed and the guilty parties dealt with.

I no longer care about the 'so-called' lost of privacy. In public places there is no real privacy.
 
Liesje said:
Because they are actually dangerous on a school bus.
Click to expand...

I believe that is due to the basic school bus design though, is it not?
Or, is it the argument about the bus driver is not able to check each kid's belt?
Regardless, it is something that should be reexamined and new standards set for buses and bus drivers. We've had a few kids killed in Minnesota in accidents in the last few years.
Again, this deserves its own thread.
 
I don't remember exactly, had a convo w/ a bus driver and by the end I was convinced. Basically in order for it to be safe, the buses would have to be re-designed and replaced, and considering how extremely rare fatalities are and how much people already complain and resist taxes and such it doesn't appear to be very high on anyone's priority list. So yeah I think you are right, it has to do with the design (like how kids are now required to be in booster seats, at least in Michigan it is the law, not even regular vehicle seats and seat belts are safe for kids).
 
Moonlit_Angel said:
Why are kids bullying disabled children, or any children, for that matter?
Click to expand...

Because they're kids and kids are mean. I really don't think it has to do with parenting. Kids see someone who is different and they make fun of them. They dont yet understand the damage they could be doing to that person. But it's just human nature. It's not fair to blame the parents
 
Jive Turkey said:
Because they're kids and kids are mean. I really don't think it has to do with parenting. Kids see someone who is different and they make fun of them. They dont yet understand the damage they could be doing to that person. But it's just human nature. It's not fair to blame the parents
Click to expand...

what nonsense. kids learn what their parents teach them. if the parents don't teach respect, manners and decency then we end up with worthless little bastards like the ones that bullied this girl. it is not human nature to abuse another human being. that is a learned behavior.
 
Bet you he gets off.:up:

Juries usually have compsassion for those that defend the defenseless.

He should also hire a PI and have the harrassment taped and sue the parents of the harassers and school district.

<>
 
if you are angry enough, nothing will stop you saying or doing what you genuingly feel like saying or doing.

even if its wrong.

its your own expression.

even if there are regrets after.

its a matter of not thinking straight - going for it - then thinking straight.

what a sad story to read, I feel his pain in trying to protect. pent up anger. anyone is capable.
 
Since the bus has a recorder, they may have the footage of the harassment. If you replaced "taped" with "tapes" it works just fine....not sure that's what he meant, but...just doing my part to be bipartisan and shit.
 
One thing that my parents always emphasized when I was a kid was to never ever make fun of disabled kids or adults. If I had ever been caught doing anything of the sort I can only imagine what would have happened to me. I think parents need to start talking to their kids about that from a very early age. "Different" takes so many forms-if kids are going to bully everyone they consider different then there's no hope for stopping bullying. It is a learned behavior. Also many kids who would never bully when they're on their own will bully in a group.
 
So, is anyone familiar with the anti-bullying legislation that is being discussed in Congress right now?


:reject: (I should be, I think Sen. Franken is one of the authors)
 
kingofsorrow said:
what nonsense. kids learn what their parents teach them. if the parents don't teach respect, manners and decency then we end up with worthless little bastards like the ones that bullied this girl. it is not human nature to abuse another human being. that is a learned behavior.
Click to expand...

Nice opening sentence, chief

I think you've forgotten what it was like to be a kid. Children have very little capacity for empathy. As Mrs Springsteen said especially in a group, making jokes about others comes very naturally. Sure, kids learn from their parents, but an even bigger influence for them when they're at school is the other children. There's a bit of a mob mentality. I would argue that it most certainly is human nature for children to recognize differences in other people and unfortunately, sometimes act on that in an inappropriate way. The fact that you're labelling a bunch of 10 year olds 'worthless bastards' because of the way they act shows you know very little about the way a child's brain works. These kids are still learning how to be human beings. Not only that, but they dont even have a fully developed brain to help them out. Cut them a little slack. I'm sure you did some assholish things when you were a kid too

And for the record, I'm not speaking for myself; I was very shy and soft spoken as a kid and by no means a bully; More likely the bullied, than the bully. But just like everyone else at that age, was very self centered and probably also did some assholish things. human nature
 
Jive Turkey said:
I think you've forgotten what it was like to be a kid.
Click to expand...

yeah i've forgotten the years off endless torture, emotional and mental anguish i suffered at the hands off other children. nice call on that one the JT.

Children have very little capacity for empathy. As Mrs Springsteen said especially in a group, making jokes about others comes very naturally. Sure, kids learn from their parents, but an even bigger influence for them when they're at school is the other children.
Click to expand...

a parents is the biggest influence on the child, not their peers. i can come to your house and bring you living proof off this "theory", one of them being my own daughter.

There's a bit of a mob mentality. I would argue that it most certainly is human nature for children to recognize differences in other people and unfortunately, sometimes act on that in an inappropriate way.
Click to expand...

you are right about the "mob mentality" bit, but it is not human nature to act like a bully.

The fact that you're labelling a bunch of 10 year olds 'worthless bastards' because of the way they act shows you know very little about the way a child's brain works.
Click to expand...

your right again, just ask my own kid.

I'm sure you did some assholish things when you were a kid too
Click to expand...

no doubt about that, but i never once bullied or put down another for their disabilities. steal the VP's golf cart and put it on the roof? yeah i did that. spray paint sabbath rules all over the biology attrium? yeah that was me. set the 20+ turtles they had loose in the hallway? guess who? throw bologna at the football team during pep rallies? :applaud::applaud:
 
kingofsorrow said:
yeah i've forgotten the years off endless torture, emotional and mental anguish i suffered at the hands off other children. nice call on that one the JT.
Click to expand...

Dont take this the wrong way, but I got that impression.

But that's not what I really meant. What I mean by forgetting what it's like to be a kid is in the way they view the world. How your mind worked at that time. They're selfish in the most pure sense of the word. It's not that they're consciously being jerks, they just lack the ability to put themselves in the shoes of others. So while it might not be natural to bully others (I'd probably argue that point too, but that might stray a bit from the topic at hand), it certainly is easy for them to join in and feed off each other without considering the affect it has

kingofsorrow said:
a parents is the biggest influence on the child, not their peers. i can come to your house and bring you living proof off this "theory", one of them being my own daughter.
Click to expand...

Only when they're very young. It's been shown that as they grow older, the influence of parents is significantly less than that of their peers. It's possible your daughter could be an exception to the rule (Much to your delight, no doubt)


kingofsorrow said:
your right again, just ask my own kid.
Click to expand...

Just because you have a kid doesnt make you an expert. I dont mean that in a 11 year old assholish way, either :)

kingofsorrow said:
no doubt about that, but i never once bullied or put down another for their disabilities. steal the VP's golf cart and put it on the roof? yeah i did that. spray paint sabbath rules all over the biology attrium? yeah that was me. set the 20+ turtles they had loose in the hallway? guess who? throw bologna at the football team during pep rallies? :applaud::applaud:
Click to expand...

I can appreciate all of this behaviour :up: Lord knows I've been involved in more than my share of mischief. But I can only assume you were much older than the 11 year olds in this story and probably had a much better sense of the consequences.
I'm not saying what they did was right. I'm just saying they're kids being the little jerks that kids can sometimes be. To immediately assume they all have bad parents is being very quick to make judgments.

I'll also add that I dont think the father of the little girl that got bullied should face any repercussions. He was just sticking up for his daughter and I'd like to think that's something that any of us would do (he might've gone a little far in threatening the bus driver, but meh, no harm no foul)
 
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