Karen Klein School bus attendant reduced to tears by students' taunts

[Ron_NYC]

Maybe. Didn't happen on school grounds. Bullying happens all the time in schools with no repercussions; I can't imagine a bus would be any easier. Plus, I can see something like, "I was videotaped without consent!" I would honestly be shocked if this shit goes anywhere.

I never said it was realistic.

She was working out of necessity. She said on her FB page that she would keep working unless she came into some money. Well, bam! Good for you, Karen.

Black people should stop eating chitterlings and maybe they would live ten years longer like us white people.

That's pretty damn cool.


Next you'll want birds to stop flying, or cows to stop being so delicious.

And NYPD will get me before hypertension.

[bowieluva]

I recited the pledge of allegiance from memory but I had no idea what it meant. I don't think having kids do that sort of thing teaches them anything. They learn by example. Unfortunately, I bet those kids have asshole parents who are like 'buuurp, what, you gotta problem, buddy?' You don't meet that many assholes and then go to their house and say 'wow, everyone here is so awesome, how did this happen?'

[rachy]

Funds for bullied bus monitor, 68, top more than $440,000 as boys FINALLY apologise for their behaviour
Bus monitor Karen Klein wants the juveniles who bullied her to be punished by not being able to play sports, and do community service
Received apology from two of the boys and one of their father's
Thousands of people have raised $440,000 for widow to take dream vacation
Airline also paying for trip to Disney World

An elderly bus monitor who was belittled, picked on and threatened by a group of merciless middle school students does not want to press charges against the boys - two of whom have offered apologies to her.

Karen Huff Klein, 68, tried to ignore the boys calling her fat, ugly and poor throughout the 10-minute video, which has been viewed more than three million times, but is seen wiping away her tears.

Police in Greece, New York said Klein is happy with the community's outraged response to the horrific abuse and does not want the seventh-grade boys to be charged as criminals.

She added that she is 'amazed' that a fund set up by well-wishers for her to spend on a dream holiday has reached more than $440,000.

The sickening story of how the elderly bus monitor was tormented by middle school students has spread like wildfire across the internet, with the stream of more than $435,000 in donations making Karen Klein the woman of the hour.

Mrs Klein has already made the rounds on the Today show, Good Morning America, Fox & Friends, and Anderson Cooper 360, telling all of them that she doesn't begrudge the students who mercilessly taunted her on a bus ride home in Greece, New York.

Now, the students responsible have offered apologies to Mrs Klein, days after their insensitive comments.

One student, Josh, wrote in a statement: ‘I’ am so sorry for the way I treated you. When I saw the video, I was disgusted and could not believe I did that.’

But Mrs Klein wasn’t buying all of it. ‘I just don’t think I would believe Josh had to say,’ she said after Cooper read the statement to her, citing Josh’s smirks at her during the ill-fated bus ride.

Another student, Wesley, wrote: ‘I feel really bad about what I did. I wish I had never done those things. If that had happened to someone in my family like my mother or grandmother, I would be really mad at the people who did that to them.’

‘I want (the kids) to make sure they never do this again to anybody. I would like them to be kept off the bus for a year, and be forbidden to play any sports, at least for a year.’ She also said community service could be a good idea.

She said she was touched by the unexpected outpouring of sympathy from strangers. ‘I want to thank everybody for so much kindness,’ she said Thursday.

She said she had no idea what brought on the outburst. ‘Trying to impress each other – they each try outdo the other. I don’t think they ever picked on the other kids…just me,’ she told the CNN host.

Despite all the pupils put her through, Mrs Klein believes they are individually good. When Cooper asked her if she believed they were bad, she responded that she thought they are good ‘deep down.’

‘Things happen. Sometimes worse than other times.’

Also on Anderson Cooper360, the host revealed that Southwest Airlines was offering to fly her and nine friends to Disneyland. Mrs Klein was visibly touched.

One of the fathers of the boys who taunted her came to speak with the grandmother, offering her a hug and heartfelt apologies, saying he had no idea how his son could act in such a despicable way.

The juveniles have yet to be charged with any crime, but in a dark turn to the story, their parents are dealing with mountains of hate mail, angry phone calls, and even death threats.

Greece police Capt. Steve Chatterton told the Democrat & Chronicle that officers are patrolling the streets to prevent any violence.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...s-charges.html

[debk589]

One of the fathers of the boys who taunted her came to speak with the grandmother, offering her a hug and heartfelt apologies, saying he had no idea how his son could act in such a despicable way.

well that's nice I guess. I'm surprised they mentioned the 2 boys who apologized by their first names! I still don't buy it though. These little shits knew it was the last day of school, knew it would be pointless for Karen to file a report, and used that as motive to get away with making her their human punching bag. Little shits.

[puzzld]

It happened on the bus. That was always school property when I was a kid, and I guessing this one was too, given a school employed "monitor." But this is just silly. When I was this age you would have been booted off the bus on the spot. The driver would have radio'd the school so they could call your parents and tell them where to pick you up, if you were lucky. You might have been paddled on the spot by the driver (no need for monitors in those days.) Now I don't approve of school being able to institute corporal punishment, but by God they need to do something to keep the peace. Ban the little monsters from the bus. Kick them out of school, give them a stiff bout of detention. Something. Or the next time, they'll set the monitor on fire.

[TheFavoriteDaughter]

Maybe. Didn't happen on school grounds. Bullying happens all the time in schools with no repercussions; I can't imagine a bus would be any easier. Plus, I can see something like, "I was videotaped without consent!" I would honestly be shocked if this shit goes anywhere.

I never said it was realistic.

She was working out of necessity. She said on her FB page that she would keep working unless she came into some money. Well, bam! Good for you, Karen.

Black people should stop eating chitterlings and maybe they would live ten years longer like us white people.

Buses are considered part of the school property. The rules (if enforced) should cover the bus. Bus drivers have to write referrals all the time for unruly bastards

[White trash bitchy blonde]

Those kids ahould absolutely be punished! There is no doubt in my mind that these kids were being shit heads. The thing is, is that bullying has had the spotlight on it since the first child that killed themselves over being tormented came out. It's in damn near every school (if not all) that bullying is absolutely not acceptable and there are major disciplinary actions taken against it.
Every year that my boys have been in school they spend a good amount of time especially on the first day and thruout that first week that bullying is a no no.

If the one parent came forward and he was as upset as the article states, Im not against believing it. Im sure my kids can be assholes, not to this degree but they can be asses. If I found out my kids were involved in something like this, I would totally be all over it talking to the victim and letting that victim know how very sorry I am for what my child did.
But really, the school has no alternative but to investigate the whole thing and punish the children involved.

And ND, my boys hated watching the vid and they didnt even watch the whole thing. It was really hard for my oldest to watch especially. I think I would explain it to her and then ask her if she wants to see it. I don't believe you have anything to worry about with that child at all. I think what would be beneficial for her or any other child is to know that they should try to step in and be the one to say STOP to all the bullying.

[bowieluva]

Kicking them out of school wouldn't help anything.

[sarabei]

No they need to be in school, they need to have to do community service or something to teach them respect and empathy for people other than themselves.

[strmmrgrrl]

Kicking them out of school wouldn't help anything.

No they need to be in school, they need to have to do community service or something to teach them respect and empathy for people other than themselves.

Definitely need to stay in school and definitely need some community service. I think they should also be banned from the bus. Let their parents be inconvenienced by the snot nosed little shits they raised.

[g r ee n ey e s]

Definitely need to stay in school and definitely need some community service. I think they should also be banned from the bus. Let their parents be inconvenienced by the snot nosed little shits they raised.

Kids were kicked off the bus all the time I was a kid in school. Some of the videos I have seen with kids on a school bus would drive me nuts. I would be the bus monitor screaming at kids to get the fuck back in their seats and shut the fuck up.

[puzzld]

A friend tells me their bus driver pulled over and called the cops to come get out of control kids a couple of times. That might work, or if not the cops, whatever vice principle is in charge of bully patrol.

[g r ee n ey e s]

I wonder if they did kick those kids off the bus already, their parents really should be picking them up from school. Clearly they need more parental observation.

[Nancy Drew]

Yeah, my friend always got kicked off the bus for singing "Fred Bear" really loud. I know it's technically school property, but I just don't think they're going to do anything about it. Particularly since it was the last day of school. I really, really hope they learn something from this. Namely not to be an asshole.

[Seraphim]

Yeah, my friend always got kicked off the bus for singing "Fred Bear" really loud. I know it's technically school property, but I just don't think they're going to do anything about it. Particularly since it was the last day of school. I really, really hope they learn something from this. Namely not to be an asshole.

I had a friend in high school that thought he could be a dick on the last day of school once. He got detention for the first week of the next year.

[puzzld]

I had a friend in high school that thought he could be a dick on the last day of school once. He got detention for the first week of the next year.

My cousin ended up in summer school detention all summer for a end of school prank. Who knew they even had summer school detention?

[rachy]

my cousin's friend who is 10 gets picked on in school the kids told him he was weird,he was a abortion gone wrong,he was retarded. his mom had him moved to a different class because the school wouldn't do anything about it.

[kevansvault]

my cousin's friend who is 10 gets picked on in school the kids told him he was weird,he was a abortion gone wrong,he was retarded. his mom had him moved to a different class because the school wouldn't do anything about it.

That's horrible. I'm so glad the schools my kids go to have a truly "zero tolerance" policy against this kind of shit. I'll break an office door down if something is happening to my son and you do nothing.

[Monter]

Definitely need to stay in school and definitely need some community service. I think they should also be banned from the bus. Let their parents be inconvenienced by the snot nosed little shits they raised.

Here in NY there is ore of a push for schools to give consequences for documented bullying behavior, even if it does not occur on school grounds or during school time. We are mandated to have anti-bullying campaigns by July 1 of this year, in place.
Getting kicked off the bus is a great idea- kids need "natural consequences to behavior" that they can understand. Be a fucking amoral rabid animal on the bus? No bus for you. And shit parents respond to being inconvenienced-having shitbag children means not much if the parents are also assholes.
I think this story getting so much publicity and the outpouring of support for this poor woman does more to teach this shitbags a lesson, as Cat said - "let them know the whole world thinks this is wrong". Shame is verrrrrrrry powerful as a motivator with this age group.
m

[bowieluva]

I guess the one thing is that counteracting bullying by utilizing bullying tactics doesn't really get the message across to me.

[emmieslost]

Really? I imagine this school system, like most, has rules against bulling. This seems to be a clear case to me.

isn't it the schools job to make the kids feel like they are in a safe space at school? as well as employees, but i could see other kids being drug into this and bullied for not participating in the harassing of this lady.

and if people want to be nice and send her emails and cash, she shouldn't feel guilty about if she 'deserves' it or not. she deserves to feel the love of kindness.

[Monter]

I guess the one thing is that counteracting bullying by utilizing bullying tactics doesn't really get the message across to me.

By showing the humanity of the victim, outrage over the act, and anger that it was committed is NOT bullying. They should feel ashamed of themselves. Thats what I was referring to this, not the death threats and such.
The playing field is not level. We should not try to make it level in all circumstances. These kids should be ashamed and embarrassed by their actions, and know that other people will judge them harshly for how they treat others, not just the cultural message that if youre pretty and rich anything goes.

[Seraphim]

By showing the humanity of the victim, outrage over the act, and anger that it was committed is NOT bullying. They should feel ashamed of themselves. Thats what I was referring to this, not the death threats and such.
The playing field is not level. We should not try to make it level in all circumstances. These kids should be ashamed and embarrassed by their actions, and know that other people will judge them harshly for how they treat others, not just the cultural message that if youre pretty and rich anything goes.

This. SO MUCH THIS.

[strmmrgrrl]

I think what Bowie might be referring to are the death threats, etc. that the families are now putting up with. And she has a point.

[bowieluva]

I think what Bowie might be referring to are the death threats, etc. that the families are now putting up with. And she has a point.

Yeah, ban these kids from the bus. Deflate the idea that bullying gets you something you want. The whole thing about bullying is that kids see results with it. The reward outweighs the consequence. So take away the reward.

But like, throwing tomatoes at these kids and booing them and shit is just demonstrating that bullying does work, as long as you're the bigger and more powerful bully.