Parents Sue Bully. School District Next?
Posted by
Linda SnyderMarch 27, 2008 7:45 PMTags:
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I find the whole concept of bullying to be interesting. You get a bunch of kids who decide that another kid is, for whatever reason, is a target for mental and physical abuse. And because bullying has been around since the time of cavemen, it's a somewhat socially acceptable behavior. The school district in Fayetteville, Arkansas may proclaim that they have a zero tolerance policy, but clearly they have chosen to look the other way in the case of Billy Wolfe.
I don't know Billy Wolfe. He may be the nerdiest kid on the planet. He may be the most annoying kid on the planet. He may be the nicest kid on the planet. But nobody should have to endure what he's gone through since grade school. I find it incredible that school officials actually tried to blame Billy for the bullies behavior, claiming "perhaps he brought this on himself."
There are video tapes showing the beatings Billy has suffered at the hands of these bullies, and yet no criminal charges have been filed. So, I guess that means in Fayetteville, Arkansas, if you're a high school student and your victim is Billy Wolfe, then it's not assault. It's just some high school kids having a little fun. If these were adults just having a little bit of the same kind of fun, they'd be in jail right now.
The Wolfes had tried talking to the parents of the bullies and appealing to school officials, to no avail. Now the Wolfes are taking a more aggressive approach, not only are they suing at least one of the bullies, they've also gone public, with Billy's story on the front page on the New York Times and an appearance on the TODAY show. Unfortunately, many times it takes filing a lawsuit in order to secure justice. It's my hope that they hold the Fayetteville school district accountable as well.
And people wonder why the tragedies like Columbine or the Virginia Tech shootings occur. I hope Billy Wolfe would never feel that desperate, but at least he knows his parents are willing to fight for him. What happened at Columbine High School and Virginia Tech will never be okay, but it's a little easier to understand. How much does a kid have to take before he snaps?