Kid Takes a Beating on the Bus - Racial? UPDATE: Post #75

[KAMKIM]

I just forced myself to sit here and watch every second of the 13 minute unedited version.

I'd like everybody to do me a favor - I would like you all to do the same. Sit and watch the whole thing. It doesn't matter what race you are, I'd like you to close your eyes for a minute, and put yourself in this boy's shoes.

You're seventeen years old. You are probably not very popular, for whatever reason. You're quiet, passive... you just want to get through each day and get home. Every day, you have to get on a bus full of rowdy, aggressive kids. Every day, you try to find a place to sit, and every day, you are rejected over and over again.

Finally, you just make a decision that you're just going to sit someplace. We've seen what happens from here. Now if you've put yourself in this boy's shoes, you can identify what that boy might have felt. Fear, anger, shame, embarrassed, alone, betrayed (the bus driver - the one person who might have been able to help him - did nothing), powerless... I could go on and on.

This was most likely the longest 13 minutes of this boy's life. Imagine having to sit there.

Trying to shut it all out; trying not to cry.

Waiting for the next attack.

He must have been terrified! He had no way of knowing how bad it might get... how many times he was going to be attacked. All he knew was there was a mob mentality on that bus, and he didn't stand a chance.

Now, if you have children, I'd like you to think about them in this position.

I wonder what would have happened if he would have done more to try to defend himself. Would the attackers have backed off, or would the attack have gotten worse? Knowing what we know about mob mentality, would more people have gotten involved with the attack itself? There's a good chance of it.

I guess for me, I don't even care anymore if it was driven by race or not. I cannot imagine my child ever riding that bus or attending that school. The fact that this is allowed to happen in schools (and on busses) in our country AT ALL just makes me really sad.

If I were that kid, there's no possible way I would make it to graduation in that school. It's very sad that kids have to face things like this in order to get an education.

I guess I must really live a sheltered life, as I just didn't even realize that this kind of thing was going on. It seems clear to me that this wasn't an isolated incident. The other kids on the bus hardly even seemed affected by it. They have no respect for others. No empathy. If these are the children of our future, I am very afraid.

This is what terrifies me - these children will some day be adults.

 

[Chernabog#1fan]

I did not watch the video because from what I have read, I do not think I can stomach it. But this part of the article makes me very angry:

The school suspended the two attackers for 10 days today, pending an expulsion hearing, and suspended three bystanders, including D'Vante, for five days for laughing at the incident, D'Vante and his mother said the principal told them.

D'Vante's mother, Shenico Greer, was very upset outside Belleville West this afternoon, as she picked up her son.

"He was not in the fight!" Greer said.

"Everybody on that bus, mostly, was laughing and standing up," she said.

She said her son even helped the victim after the attacks, picking up his glasses and asking him if he was OK.

__________________________________________

I do not have any children, but if my child laughed at another child that was being attacked, I would fully expect the school to suspend my child regardless of whether he asked after the attack if the boy was okay. I do not care how many other people are laughing, my child would have more to fear my husband and I then being suspended. That would be the asist part of the punishment.

To me, this is what is wrong with society. The mother being upset with the school is crazy, she needs to be upset with her son for not trying to help or for at least not just sitting there and being quiet instead of laughing. Maybe if all of the other kids would not have been laughing, the boys doing the attacking would have stopped sooner.

 

[Stitchfans]

I just forced myself to sit here and watch every second of the 13 minute unedited version.

I'd like everybody to do me a favor - I would like you all to do the same. Sit and watch the whole thing. It doesn't matter what race you are, I'd like you to close your eyes for a minute, and put yourself in this boy's shoes.

You're seventeen years old. You are probably not very popular, for whatever reason. You're quiet, passive... you just want to get through each day and get home. Every day, you have to get on a bus full of rowdy, aggressive kids. Every day, you try to find a place to sit, and every day, you are rejected over and over again.

Finally, you just make a decision that you're just going to sit someplace. We've seen what happens from here. Now if you've put yourself in this boy's shoes, you can identify what that boy might have felt. Fear, anger, shame, embarrassed, alone, betrayed (the bus driver - the one person who might have been able to help him - did nothing), powerless... I could go on and on.

This was most likely the longest 13 minutes of this boy's life. Imagine having to sit there.

Trying to shut it all out; trying not to cry.

Waiting for the next attack.

He must have been terrified! He had no way of knowing how bad it might get... how many times he was going to be attacked. All he knew was there was a mob mentality on that bus, and he didn't stand a chance.

Now, if you have children, I'd like you to think about them in this position.

I wonder what would have happened if he would have done more to try to defend himself. Would the attackers have backed off, or would the attack have gotten worse? Knowing what we know about mob mentality, would more people have gotten involved with the attack itself? There's a good chance of it.

I guess for me, I don't even care anymore if it was driven by race or not. I cannot imagine my child ever riding that bus or attending that school. The fact that this is allowed to happen in schools (and on busses) in our country AT ALL just makes me really sad.

If I were that kid, there's no possible way I would make it to graduation in that school. It's very sad that kids have to face things like this in order to get an education.

I guess I must really live a sheltered life, as I just didn't even realize that this kind of thing was going on. It seems clear to me that this wasn't an isolated incident. The other kids on the bus hardly even seemed affected by it. They have no respect for others. No empathy. If these are the children of our future, I am very afraid.

Bravo! Well said. Now lets hope what you said here sinks into some heads.

 

[pooh4evr]

Today they interviewed a kid who stopped the 2nd kid from continuing the beating - where he was the first few minutes I don't know- but he said it was simply because- the victim is one of the last bus stops, there were not many seats left he tried to sit down - they other kid didn't want him there, vic threw his bookbag on the floor so the other kid starts hitting him. the second kid was just trying to get in on ti for some sort of macho reason. It just makes mw sick to see things like that - while we all need to know what is going on I hate that they keep playing it over and over on the local channels- I don't get it what is going on with kids- public, private, black, white, boy, girl something is happening that we need to get a hold of and stop.

I wonder why he didn't try and fight back too- why is it in so many schools - whenyou try to fight back or defend yourself you are punished just as much as the instigator?

 

[OceanAnnie]

Today they interviewed a kid who stopped the 2nd kid from continuing the beating - where he was the first few minutes I don't know- but he said it was simply because- the victim is one of the last bus stops, there were not many seats left he tried to sit down - they other kid didn't want him there, vic threw his bookbag on the floor so the other kid starts hitting him. the second kid was just trying to get in on ti for some sort of macho reason. It just makes mw sick to see things like that - while we all need to know what is going on I hate that they keep playing it over and over on the local channels- I don't get it what is going on with kids- public, private, black, white, boy, girl something is happening that we need to get a hold of and stop.

I wonder why he didn't try and fight back too- why is it in so many schools - whenyou try to fight back or defend yourself you are punished just as much as the instigator?

Thanks for the update. It's pretty bad, when a bus driver tells a kid to sit down and the kid gets beaten for doing as he was told! Was there any ramifications for the driver to let that go on?

 

[BeachGirlFLA]

No ramifications for the bus driver yet...in fact the bus company says that he followed policy. He wasn't allowed to pull over because he was on an overpass, so all he did was yell "sit down" and call the school nurse.

 

[charlie,nj]

Right, Charlie... let me wipe my face for the poor victimized people who need sooooo much help. Where is my tissue???? Oh deah.....

You have your policies and those YOU protect, and they have theirs. Everyone has their right to pick and choose, after all this IS America.

Don't expect me to come to fight for Clown Causes!

Hey speaking of clowns it looks like we ALL got stuck with a real big one running the …oops never mind.


.

 

[wvjules]

No ramifications for the bus driver yet...in fact the bus company says that he followed policy. He wasn't allowed to pull over because he was on an overpass, so all he did was yell "sit down" and call the school nurse.

He was on an overpass the whole time? That must have been one big overpass.

 

[BeachGirlFLA]

He was on an overpass the whole time? That must have been one big overpass.

I'm assuming they mean it started on an overpass....I don't think it's much of an excuse. I heard someone on the news say that he would have pulled over for a flat tire even if no one was being harmed because of the flat tire. Also, he could have called the police rather than just the school nurse. He most likely can not be charged with anything criminally, but he could definitely find himself in civil court (and would if it was my child being beaten.)

 

[pooh4evr]

I maybe wrong but I think he (bus driver) has been suspended or something- not fired but he has been reprimanded in some way. - and I think they said earlier that 7 ? kids have been either suspended or have had some other punishment from the school and the beaters have been taken into custody- don't know if juvenile (spelling???) or adult charges are pending- but there are some charges.

 

[BeachGirlFLA]

I maybe wrong but I think he (bus driver) has been suspended or something- not fired but he has been reprimanded in some way. - and I think they said earlier that 7 ? kids have been either suspended or have had some other punishment from the school and the beaters have been taken into custody- don't know if juvenile (spelling???) or adult charges are pending- but there are some charges.

If the bus driver has been suspended, it's been since 9 AM today. The charges that are pending against the beaters are juvenile charges and they have been suspended.
Edited: Never mind....it wasn't reported on the news I watched this morning but it does look like he has been suspended (looks like it happened yesterday.) But his employer is still defending him and saying he did the right thing.

 

[OceanAnnie]

I'm assuming they mean it started on an overpass....I don't think it's much of an excuse. I heard someone on the news say that he would have pulled over for a flat tire even if no one was being harmed because of the flat tire. Also, he could have called the police rather than just the school nurse. He most likely can not be charged with anything criminally, but he could definitely find himself in civil court (and would if it was my child being beaten.)

Same with me.

He was the adult responsible for the kids on the bus.

 

[brockash]

I did not watch the video because from what I have read, I do not think I can stomach it. But this part of the article makes me very angry:

The school suspended the two attackers for 10 days today, pending an expulsion hearing, and suspended three bystanders, including D'Vante, for five days for laughing at the incident, D'Vante and his mother said the principal told them.

D'Vante's mother, Shenico Greer, was very upset outside Belleville West this afternoon, as she picked up her son.

"He was not in the fight!" Greer said.

"Everybody on that bus, mostly, was laughing and standing up," she said.

She said her son even helped the victim after the attacks, picking up his glasses and asking him if he was OK.

__________________________________________

I do not have any children, but if my child laughed at another child that was being attacked, I would fully expect the school to suspend my child regardless of whether he asked after the attack if the boy was okay. I do not care how many other people are laughing, my child would have more to fear my husband and I then being suspended. That would be the asist part of the punishment.

To me, this is what is wrong with society. The mother being upset with the school is crazy, she needs to be upset with her son for not trying to help or for at least not just sitting there and being quiet instead of laughing. Maybe if all of the other kids would not have been laughing, the boys doing the attacking would have stopped sooner.

ITA. I can't imagine my reaction if one of those kids laughing sitting by doing nothing but encourging it was my son. What kind of idiot parent would defend their kid in this situation??? The parent should be ashamed of themselves for letting their child grow up thinking this was okay, and should making sure they never forget again that it's not. The whole situation is completely disgusting.

 

[anewmac]

I saw this while I was at the gym and it sickened me. Right after it they played a clip of the Yankees getting into a fight with (some team i forget who) and then I thought THATS WHERE these kids get it and think its ok (not all of it but some, i do blame the parents also.) they see their "HEROS" doing this crap and they look up to these people and think if they can do it so can I.

Sickens me that morals are going down the drain!

 

[OceanAnnie]

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/ne...1586F1C3B8DACF3786257635006BC3A8?OpenDocument

The two students are charged with aggravated battery, they have been suspended and could face expulsion.

The bus driver has been barred from working in the school district.

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/ne...42D5CC93370E9D6686257634000AF3C9?OpenDocument

".... Critics have questioned why the driver did not stop the bus as soon as the beating began. But busing industry officials and the driver's employer, First Student, have said the driver followed protocol by radioing the incident and arranging for a nurse to meet the bus at the school. The driver has been suspended by the company as an investigation continues.

The superintendent's letter said that students involved in the incident had been suspended, but that only the school board may expel them and that any board action must come within 10 days of an incident. The district's next school board meeting is Monday, the soonest the matter could be addressed, Moats said.

The two students who attacked the victim — both of whom were arrested and released Monday — also are facing likely criminal charges. Belleville Police Capt. Don Sax said Wednesday that the investigation was ongoing and that charges may be filed today or Friday.

The superintendent's letter stressed that the district "has not and will not tolerate actions such as this to be perpetrated on any student, whether they are on or off a bus."

In an interview, Moats said the incident would be a catalyst for the district to continue to educate students on bullying. "We have to capitalize on this while we have their attention," he said. "We would be remiss not to make that effort right now.""

 

[luvmy3]

So the bus driver will no longer be driving for the District but they didn't say he did anythng wrong (meaning he didn't follow policy and protocol for this type of thing) . He may have used poor judgement, or at least he may be accussed of using poor judgement but if he followed the policy when dealing with physical fights on the bus, what are the grounds for firing him?
If they are letting him go because of outrage over his inaction, is it possible for him to sue?

 

[OceanAnnie]

I don't know, luvmy3. You raise some good points. He's suspended and the company is still investigating (still open ended). I guess time will tell.

 

[shortbun]

White kid beating black kid and black kid beating white kid are not always racially motivated. Some people just fight and color has nothign to do with it. However if racial slurs were being yelled then yes I would agree that it is possibly racial.





Ummm, hello!?!? A kid is being beaten on the school bus. IMO, it is the bus drivers moral responsibility to get out of his seat to stop the beating.

As a school bus driver and a woman, I would not have walked into that mess thinking I could do a thing. What I WOULD have done was pulled over and called for the police. Problem is that the police often take several minutes to get there and the offenders are usually off the back of the bus by then. I would have asked for a squad AND the police. Heck, this just would NEVER happen on my bus. The high school kids on my bus are from the worst area of town as far as gangs/drugs/poverty but they are some well behaved children. I notice that this bus was pretty crowded but should be way less so when the offenders are expelled for the rest of the year-which is what would happen in our district. The children behaved like a gang of rabid dogs. The driver only has so much control and could be in danger himself if he intervenes. Last year, my girlfriend was beaten up so badly by a parent who boarded her bus that she was out of work the rest of the year and has resigned.