Bullying

 I just sent this email to the principal of my sons' middle school:

Mrs xxxxxx,

This evening, Jack left a note on my computer desk with a link to a webpage, and
the words, "I told you they were against me."  According to him, today
at school a bunch of kids were gathered around a computer screen looking at it and
laughing, they called him over to see it and said it is about him.  !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think you can imagine how this has made him feel, and I am pretty incensed myself
that someone would put this together and publish it.  The bullying continues.  The
fact that he didn't tell me about it until this evening lets me know he has 
been processing it all day.  

Obviously, this needs to be addressed, and I do hope that those who are responsible
will be held accountable.  Please let me know how it is going to be handled.  

http://jack.justgotowned.com/

Thank you,

I don't even know how to describe my feelings at this moment.  If you watched the video you can probably guess.  I think I am done 

crying, at least for now.  MY son was suspended last year for this kind of crap. (see prior entry) He was the VICTIM.  He continues

to be bullied.  What kind of SICK kids think this is funny?  I don't generally swear, but what the hell?!  I expect I'll get a phone call

first thing in the morning, requesting that Jack be brought in to name names and explain exactly what happened.  This took place in 

his homeroom.  Where was the teacher?  When I asked Jack what his own reaction was at the time, he told me that he just gave a fake 

laugh and walked away, but my heart hurts for him, and how he must have felt.  I have questions of my own : Will these kids be inter-

rogated by the military police like he was last year?  Will any of them get suspended and have to show proof from a psychologist that

they are not a threat to themselves or others?  Will their parents be forced to watch this clip so that they can see what their kids 

"created"?  The whole thing makes me sad, angry, frustrated, and generally sick to my stomach that ANYONE would think this is at all 

amusing.  What kind of kids are we raising who take pleasure in others' pain?  What kind of adults/teachers/school staff do we have who 

blame this behavior on : spring fever, restlessness, hormones, boredom, low self-esteem (sorry if I don't accept that someone else's 

kid's feelings of inferiority give them an excuse to torment MY kid!)  It doesn't make me or my son feel better to hear that he is not 

the only one.  So address the problem already!!!!!!!!  Evidence shows that bullying begets bullies - the whole "eat or be eaten" mindset.  

The problem does not go away if the solution is only to teach the victim to walk away, or to talk to a counselor, or to take martial arts 

to help build up their confidence and self-esteem (Jack does all of these things).  What is the solution?  How about holding the bullies

accountable?  I can't protect my kids from all the harshness of the world.  But when did the ugliness start so young?