Making the Bus Monitor Cry

[#HBC | J]

Okay normally, I don't get this involved with current events or feel that strongly about things, but I had to share this on because this one hits a really swore spot with me because it hits all my hot buttons that just infuriate me to no degree. Just a little preview is a few things:

1.) Bullying
2.) Making fun of people for weight
3.) Making fun of women
4.) Making fun of old people
5.) Making people cry
6.) Making fun of defenseless people

Like I am appalled at this video that has been circulating the news and also on facebook and I just though I'd share it here since it is a current event.

I'll give a little description to what this video is about before I post it. This video is about an elderly woman named Karen. Karen is a bus monitor that is on a school bus to help keep control of buses and make sure kids are not acting up. I'm not used to this since my buses just had cameras on them. She donates her time to do this and gets paid not a lot of money to do as such. Now we all know kids will be kids, but this takes things over the line and you cannot believe what goes on in it until watching it because the woman did not provoke anything nor did she retaliate to the kids.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l93wAqnPQwk

They talk about cutting her open. They talk about her being fat a numerous amount of times. They talk about her age. They make fun of her for being "poor". They make fun of her for crying by saying that she is just "sweating". Is this really what are kids are becoming? Is this really the length bullying is going today? I mean yes, bullying will always exist in society, but what causes kids to be this cruel? And this is only a video that got taped and recorded of bullying that exists in the world.

I'm sorry if it's not the "biggest" news story but I just feel it is one that needs to be shown around more and is something I feel strongly about.

However, now there is a fundraiser being started for Karen to help her get out of her hellish job of enduring this type of behavior five days a week. Still, bullying leaves scars on a person.

Anyways, I just thought I'd share my current event.

 

[Chronodiver Lokii]

I was appalled when I saw this on the news. People need to learn more respect.

 

[#HBC | J]

It's respect but it's also, what in the world is wrong with the parent's of these kids to let their kids become such monsters?

I was raised on the logic of "there are no bad kids, only bad parent's" which is semi-true and semi-not because kids will grow up to be individuals but parent's also share some of the blame in what they have raised.

This just makes me livid and really drives me to become a teacher and getting my degree even more.

 

[theeboredone]

This story is pretty old, and I should note that the fundraiser money has gone over 500k. I mean, she's essentially set for life given she was only making about 30k a year.

I haven't really been following the story. The last bit I heard was that the lady wanted more than just an apology from the kids.

 

[#HBC | J]

Yeah, I'm sorry if this is old or known but it still just struck me a bit and thought I should share it here.

But yeah, that is a good note for her at least.

 

[~ Gheb ~]

Random question: what exactly is the job of a 'bus monitor' and why are there cameras on busses?

 

[Teran]

People are so quick to blame the parents etc, but parents aren't even the biggest influence imo. Certainly weren't in mine.

It's society and media that rears children pretty much. Kids have always bullied and mocked any authority figure they deemed too weak to control them. Kids have always been merciless and cruel, this is not new.

 

[theeboredone]

Random question: what exactly is the job of a 'bus monitor' and why are there cameras on busses?

If I had to take a shot, I'm sure the job is just to make sure nothing gets out of hand between the children, given the bus driver himself can't do anything.

And the footage is from one of the kid's cellphone who was bullying her. Uploaded it to youtube.

@Teran, but I don't think all kids are like that. While every living situation is different, it's always seemed like from stories that bullying is more of a minority thing. Especially when we go to this extent or even that other story with the kid being forced to stab the bully out of self defense.

I do think parents play a role in how the child acts. Not really by giving them harsh punishments, cursing in the house and what have you, but simply out of negligence. Similar to how parents end up blaming video games for having too much gore or sex, when it says clearly on the box it's meant for people 18 and up. You gotta know what your kid is doing outside the house. Who he hangs out with. Etc.

 

[#HBC | J]

Random question: what exactly is the job of a 'bus monitor' and why are there cameras on busses?

Well when I was going to high school, they implemented bus camera's to watch the kids on busses due to safety precautions and them feeling it would make buses safer to have cameras on them. Our school just had a drug problem but even then it wasn't big at all. The biggest thing we had was kids having sex on the buses and that was just nasty to consider/think about. But yeah it's becoming a more common thing for areas that can afford cameras on their buses to have them (at least in the area I grew up a bit in) and replacing human bus monitors.

But yeah, the video was taken from a kids cell-phone and put on youtube.

 

[Teran]

@Teran, but I don't think all kids are like that. While every living situation is different, it's always seemed like from stories that bullying is more of a minority thing. Especially when we go to this extent or even that other story with the kid being forced to stab the bully out of self defense.

I do think parents play a role in how the child acts. Not really by giving them harsh punishments, cursing in the house and what have you, but simply out of negligence. Similar to how parents end up blaming video games for having too much gore or sex, when it says clearly on the box it's meant for people 18 and up. You gotta know what your kid is doing outside the house. Who he hangs out with. Etc.

I'd hazard a guess at saying physical bullying is more of a minority thing. In terms of nonstop emotional and psychological abuse? Yeah I will be 100% honest with you and say that is a trait I associate mostly with affluent/white/middle class people.

It's also the middle class method of spousal abuse (a form of bullying in its own right), cos we all know beating leaves evidence/is totally unrefined. Telling your partner how worthless, inept, pathetic, and unlovable they are is far more effective in the long run, and imo inherently more traumatising.

A black thug on the street will clock you in the face and take your wallet, it sucks but you get over it. A middle class white man will smile and play pleasantries while taking you through the seven circles of hell.

xD

 

[Luigitoilet]

People are so quick to blame the parents etc, but parents aren't even the biggest influence imo. Certainly weren't in mine.

It's society and media that rears children pretty much. Kids have always bullied and mocked any authority figure they deemed too weak to control them. Kids have always been merciless and cruel, this is not new.

I remember this kind of thing happening on a monthly basis in middle school. I was somewhat surprised to see this particular case get so much attention and money thrown at her.

Not meant in a pejorative way, just more speaking to the ****ed up way that society has been that I see this as the status quo the same as it was back in my day.

 

[Froggy]

I think a much bigger story than making her cry is that she got around 5 million$ in donations from this. It's kinda crazy.

 

[theeboredone]

Every article I've read is she's only gotten around 600k o_O. Where did 5 million come from?

 

[Luigitoilet]

People love throwing money at anything apparently. George Zimmerman has raised around 400k in donations as well.

 

[theeboredone]

Zimmerman is sadly scum, and I don't understand why he has gotten so much support. On an interview with Fox, he pretty much openly admitted that "God's plan" to put him in place to shoot Martin.

 

[#HBC | Dark Horse]

People love throwing money at anything apparently. George Zimmerman has raised around 400k in donations as well.

It's an effort-free way to make yourself feel good.

"Wow, I am donating to a good cause. I am such a good person."

That feel-good reason is probably why you don't see many people taking the fact that donations to Africa are actually hurting their economies into consideration.

 

[PsychoIncarnate]

I just heard about this, and apparently those kids made some horrific comments.

Maybe it was just the area I grew up in, but I never heard anyone say anything like that

 

[theeboredone]

It's definitely different from person to person when we all talk about bullying. There are just so many variables to go through. Everything from where we were raised to the people we hung around. Though I do have a few memories of people being bullied from everything on how they dressed to distinctive physical features. Out of all the ones I was personally...I don't want to say apart of, but within the vicinity of such things, I would say only two were long lasting and did carry effects long term.

Though I will say all of the bullying I've witnessed has been verbal, never physical.

 

[Morin0]

They talk about cutting her open.

What the genuine ****...

 

[GoldShadow]

People are so quick to blame the parents etc, but parents aren't even the biggest influence imo. Certainly weren't in mine.

It's society and media that rears children pretty much. Kids have always bullied and mocked any authority figure they deemed too weak to control them. Kids have always been merciless and cruel, this is not new.

I have to disagree. I think society and media rear children if and only if the parents fail to inoculate the child against it, ie if the parents do not make their parenting a strong enough influence, the childrens' primary influence will become their surroundings/media/society instead of parenting.

A child will eventually become their own person when they become an adult, but parents play a strong role in that child's development, especially when the child is young.

 

[Zinnamon]

I couldn't go through the whole video cause it's kinda repetitive but it looks like the typical scenario where everyone is just trying to fit into the group (composed of everyone trying to fit) meh I don't know how to explain.
This is not about them being disrispectful it's about the kids being selfish, they probably know they wronged and feel bad,but they do it anyway because everyone else is doing it.
Oh how I ramble, I just wanted to ask, what's a bus monitor?