Hello: A few days ago I saw the news report of those children bullying Karen Klein on that school bus. I very seldom get upset to the point that I would have liked to have handled the discipline of these children myself.

What is happening to a small percentage of our children in this country? What should be done to these children and should we revert to 1950's type discipline of our children? As a child I would have never been so disrespectful to an elderly person. Steve Balistreri

my wife works for that school district - and we live in the next town over it was absolutley horrible what those kids did !!!!! i feel they should not be allowed in public school - they should have to be home schooled at the parents expense.

kevin

Kevin: I believe that some parents of today should stop trying to be the friends of their children and instead be and act like parents. I also feel that this incident was a big wake up call for a lot of people who viewed the incident. Steve

Since she is now $500,000 richer I can't get too worked up about it. I volunteer to take a few minutes of verbal abuse for that payoff. Beware of taking anything on YouTube at face value- lots of hoaxes out there. Not saying this is one but it sure could be.

Yes a big wake-up call! Unfortunately this behavior is tolerated in so many schools and homes all across America (many not all). Many Americans do need to wake up! My butt would have been tanned.....because I was taught respect of my parents, teachers, and the elderly! I was made to stand up when a woman came into the room...offer my seat to the elderly... wash up before Supper...and to take my hat off when I came into the house! My parents would never allows us children embarrass them in front of teachers, police, fire, or the elderly. My smart mouth got me kicked off the bus....and my father saw to it that I walked to school....3 miles...and was in my class seat on time!

It was the best of times and the worst of times.

Those kids should have their a$$** whipped and whipped good.

Nobody could see it coming but this is the best thing that every happened to that woman. Like Galt said above she is now a half million dollars richer. She ain't going to be a school bus monitor anymore.

With the depressed real estate prices - I would be saying - hello foreclosed condo on the beach somewhere in FL.

why couldn't i have thought of this: it's the perfect scam. take the money and run, karen!

Parents don't care. Thats the schools problem. If you do anything you will be sued by the parents for what ever reason. Schools are to scared to crack the whip on lids and the kids know it.

In my area a school bus drver had a fight brake out on the bus. He tried to brake it up and got a bloody nose and then was fired because he touched the kids. He did his job and got fired.

Get the kids off the bus and have the parents drive them to school for a month and the parents who have to do so will lay down the LAW to the brat's. Second time 2 months and a week off from school. Do that till they learn how to act in public.

In my day those kids would've been kicked off the bus right there and then not allowed to ride the bus for the remainder of the school year. Maybe the parents would teach their kids a little respect if they had to drive the little darlings to school and back themselves or make 'em walk?

The behavior of these "children" was inexcusable. They should be punished to the full extent of the law. However, why was a 68 year old woman with obvious weight issues a "monitor" on a school bus? She couldn't defend herself much less deal with issues that came up on the bus. Were they just giving her a job riding a bus because she could possibly no longer safely drive a bus?

Also why didn't the bus driver stop the bus and put a stop to this?

I watched this video for about 2 minutes last night, that was all I could stand without going ballistic. Absolutely ridiculous and atrocious. That district is about 20 minutes from me I'm ashamed to say. I believe something along the lines of "summer detention" at the school would be appropriate.

That being said, it strikes me as strange that the monitor did nothing to end the confrontation. It would have been easy to get up and move to the front of the bus so as to at least remove herself from the situation, speak with the bus driver, radio the district office, ect. However, I got the impression that this incident started well before the video started, so I doubt anyone knows the whole story except those who were involved.

There's no way this was staged for profit. This lady had no clue that someone completely outside the situation was going to start a website to solicit donations on her behalf. Their goal was to raise $5k, so far they are at $600k+.

Not a hoax, all over Fox News, and the school board is going to deal with the little bastards. The local DA is pondering the case too.

HM

My dad would ave beat me half to death, Then humiliated me some way in front of the school and the lady.

If I had of been one of those 'jackasses', I would still be digging my Dad's shoe out of my a$$! And Dad passed in 1975!

The little lady isn't going to quit. She said that she is going to get a new bus, but that she did want a personal apology out of each and everyone of those kids. In as far as the law is concerned, what can they really do to the kids except to hurt the parents in the wallets with fines and having to get lawyers to represent them and the kids in court. Maybe some probation would help, but there isn't any real teeth in anti-bullying for kids that age. Maybe the parents should have a good switching, but that would evoke real sympathy here in NY State. Perhaps make the kids do community work, but not in groups. The little nasty &)*&*#@s feed off of each other in groups. That's where they get their strength is in groups.

When I was a kid you would have been kicked off the bus for the remainder of the school year or the next school year and your parents would have to drive you to school or you walked. The principal would have paddled your behind. And when you got home you'd get the razor strap on top of that, plus being grounded for quite a while. Not to mention giving an apology that if not true and sincere would result in another razor strap session.

Ever notice how young parents refer to their kids as buddy? The kids don't want a buddy, they have lots of them, they want a parent to set boundaries and provide guidance.

Ever notice how parents to day speak to their children in questions? Go to a MacDonalds and sit for a while and watch the interaction of kids and their parents. Who's in charge? It sure isn't the parents.

Most of them are afraid of their children and won't set goals and expectations for fear that the kids won't like them.

no volunteers to be a bus monitor?

looks like it could pay up to $500,000 a week!

Just wait until the kids demand a share of the 600k- after all, they were essential to the action. LOL

pays better than being a disabled veteran of a foreign war? what's up with that?

The cynicism here amazes me,,,,,I see where the kids are getting it from.....

If you would have taken some time to do some research, you would have found out that a travel agent in Canada wanted to raise $5,000 for a vacation for her due to the compassion in his heart for her after this incident due to the bullying of him in his childhood. The fact that the video went viral and people from all over the world started donating. Amazing consequence, BUT IN NO WAY a scam.

Why have we lost our neighborly concern for each other??? John Galt,,,,,do you really think this is some kind of conspiracy??? Ask those kids and their parents who are now getting death threats. You think it is worth it?????

Lighten up a bit bigdogtx. You really gotta learn to identify tongue in cheek humor on here.

Just Say'n........

Oh no, largecanine, I believe everything I see or hear on the internet just like you!!!!!!!

I read every response to my thread and most of us are on the same page in regards to this matter. When I was a child my parents taught me right from wrong.

I knew that my teachers, the policeman, any adult, deserved my respect. If I would have had an adult tell my parents otherwise, all hell would have broke loose.

My father was not the type of parent that cared if I was happy. I had responsibilities to live up to as home chores came first. I was also taught to offer my chair to a woman, to the elderly, to the disabled if needed.

One time, I laughed as a kid walked by who was slightly disabled and out of left field I caught a slap across my face. I was then taught never to laugh at someone unless you have walked in that person's shoes.

Even after all this, I knew deep down that my parents loved me, but I also knew I better toe the line or else. My parents were not my friends, not my buddies. They were my parents with the responsibility of raising a child the best way they could. Steve

People today are by nature now cynical. It is brought on by the freeloaders looking for handouts and to scam you. People have to be so careful in their dealing with each other that you are unable to be open anymore.

Personally, I hope that she gets to be a millionaire over this.

First off, there is no guarantee she is going to get or be allowed receive the money. So far that is in the venue of pledges. But at any rate what about the "next" monitor who doesn't get a lot of money promised them. The fact these little punks did it is the real issue. Todays kids are taught there are no consiquences for stuff like this! Kick the punks out of school and at the very LEAST there should be something they can be charged with!

Slide,,,,they see the "sport hero" that can do no wrong and get away with everything they do,,,,you are right about them now having no consequences,,,,,Dr. Spock said we shouldn't spank.....

and the little ba*****s got away with it again. Other little BA*****s saw it on TV and will want their piece of the action. I'm gum be on TV. When they grow up they will be in jail.

What the hell do you expect. Keep your assed burried in the sand while the public officals tell you what good they can do you and don't worry. When out little school was fighting consliditation back in the 60's and lost. Because people believed when they would not have to pay as much taxes and the school would have better equipment for the kids. I remember an old WW2 German farmer in out district stood up and said just before the school board meeting was over. He said I seen this exact same thing back in the 30's in Germany. Let the schools take over and you will loose .control of your kids. Well you lost all control. Now you whine your asses off because you see some lady bus drive getting the shit kicked out of her and say the kids are out of control. Hell no Its the public out of control. Refusing to take responsibility and standing up to these officals and tell them they work for us. Not decree what we need to do because they say so. Geeeeze. Fine the hell out of the parents everytime the kid looses control. Hit their assed in the billfold and you will see how quick the little bastards will straighten up. Or I got another Idea. Why not ask Jessie Jackson or Chuckie Randle what to do. I'm sure they will have a better Idea. Wild Bill

I was taught as a kid that there is really only one way to take care of a bully... it's called ASS WIPPIN ! In the case of these kids, their old man ought to get his ass whupped too! Never knew a Bully whoes Father wasn't a Bully.

blade819

Time for a post retirement School Bus Driver to weigh in.

After I retired from 30 years of government service, wondering what to do next, I was encouraged by friends to go for CDL training from local school board.

They would require a commitment of one year of service, but after the CDL courses, you would have qualifications for passenger service, school bus operator, Class B CDL, air brake endorsement, and if you wanted to take aditional qualification tests, you could get your haz-mat and tanker ticket.

This has alowed me to drive a tour bus, school busses, and also for a local limosine service, but back to the issue of students and Karen Klein.

I drove students in PA and now do so in NC, who knew, found out I liked it.

As a driver this behavior is intolerable.

That being said, both the bus driver, and Ms. Klein are at fault for allowing this situation to escalate as it did.

Bus should have been pulled to side of road and stopped at first location where it was safe to do so. Next school administration and bus dispatch should have been made aware of situation. Then a 911 call to local police or sheriff department.

The behavior of these "little darlings" as they will be described by their parents, places the lives of everyone riding the bus in question in jepoardy.

From personal experience the simple act of pulling a bus over, and shutting down, has miracoulous, (spelling??) effect on students.

Those who have made comments above about how our bus drivers and parents would have reacted are out of touch with the new reality of inmates in-charge of the institution. Any hands on physical intervention by a driver or monitor would result in dismissal by school district and certainly lawsuits by parents. This is indeed sad because it is exactly what is needed.

Bill

Bill: When I was a child my mother would walk me to school on the first day. She would introduce me to my new teacher and in front of me she would tell my new teacher should I get out of line she had her permission to give me a good one. She also requested that if I showed any amount of disrespect to call her.

My father in law was a junior high school teacher back in the 50's,60's. He told me stories that if the kids would get out of line they could come down hard on the students.

Back then, he told me that no judge in this country would ever take a kids word over a teacher if a teacher was ever taken to court. Back then he never heard of a student or parent taking a teacher to court for disciplinary reasons. You usually had the backing of the parents, and principal and the school board. Steve

dhwbailey, has it so correct.

Society is really F'ed up. It started when all discipline became abuse whether physical, or emotional. My mother would have been in jail without a doubt if she disciplined these kids, let alone the way I was disciplined back then. If I had done this when I was their age, I would be lucky to still be able to function with my motorskills. And that's no BS! If I ever replied with a NO after being told to do something, or to stop doing something, it would be a very painful and fearful response. I see this happening with parents constantly nowdays. Accepting no, and disrespect. Fear is respect, unless kids feel they have something to lose, or fear by being disrespectful, they have no reason to be otheriwise. To be honest with you when I see some of these kids behaving this way at a young age, I really want to just grab ahold of the parents and say what the hell is wrong with you? We have some kids in our subdivision that are just little lying, and conniving little bastards. There parents think they are the best kids in the world. I really have to restrain myself when I am around them.

It all come down to paying attention to your kids from the time they can crawl, and not only yelling at them, but physically showing them what you want them to do, or stop doing. To many parents sit on their a$$' and just yell. Or they do not even do that.

Anyhow this is his quote. Parents buy there kids everything they ask for also, for the same reason mentioned below, or because they don't want to hear the whining. "I will give you something to whine about"! That's what I would get. By the way I never ended up in jail, and I still love and respect my Mother.

"Ever notice how young parents refer to their kids as buddy? The kids don't want a buddy, they have lots of them, they want a parent to set boundaries and provide guidance.

Ever notice how parents to day speak to their children in questions? Go to a MacDonalds and sit for a while and watch the interaction of kids and their parents. Who's in charge? It sure isn't the parents.

Most of them are afraid of their children and won't set goals and expectations for fear that the kids won't like them."

Most parents would end up in tears if they could see how their children behave while in school. Not all of them are bullies, or snot noses, but the way they act towards other students, monitors, aides, lunch ladies, custodians, and even teachers is far different than the way they act at home. Even the so-called "good" kids. Also, many students wander through their day never asking a question or volunteering an answer. When asked a question the reply is often "I don't know" without even bothering to put even a little thought into an answer. Kids are never held accountable or made to do anything they don't want to do at home, so why should they have to do it in school. Everything is "boring." All they want to do is play with their phones and text each other. Wait until they have to earn a living!

Dave

punk kids just emulate their parents who probably vote against you

The kids should be kicked off he bus. The kids shouldn't be that way. How ever, The media should shut the hell up about this. I'm getting tired of seeing it on the news and the Today Show and other shows. Enough. Why should she even get $650,000.00 for what happaned???????? That money should go some place else. The homeless, Kids summer events, so on and so on. There are other people who have had far worst happen to them then her.

It is interesting that almost everyone that responded to this thread would seem to be a responsible parent. I have no idea what age group we are all in, but wonder can we draw any conclusion to what date in time in our country, did some of our children and some adults lose respect for one another?

Steve

"Why should she even get $650,000.00 for what happaned???????? That money should go some place else. The homeless, Kids summer events, so on and so on."

I believe that the people who donated the money have the right to say where it goes. She did not sue someone to get this money, it was freely given to her, and I say good for her and good for those who donated.

I have been driving a school bus for 12 years and I can tell you that behavior happens all the time. I'm sure that if you gathered 100 bus drivers from around the country that story would be trivial. That's all I'll say on a public forum as I still work there. Bill

Steve,

I do not know about dates and time, but it was when all forms of discipline became child abuse.

Karen stated that the money will pay off some bills but also help with her 2 Grandchildren, one had Downs Syndrome and another has some type of physical disability. NO ONE should question the generosity of the people who are still donating to her unasked for fund! May she enjoy her many vacations and her money!

blade819

Whoa buddy, let me tell you about my growing up. I'm 59 yrs old.

You said yes sir and no sir and yes mam and no mam to your parents and any other adult you were around, "PERIOD". I still do and my son's and grandchildren do today. Hold a door for a lady, give a lady your chair just common sense to me.

Back talk - popped in the mouth right now

Speak out of turn around adult - taken out of room tanned and then back to where I was suppose to be.

Be a pain in the ass around the house (being a kid) - Told to go cut a switch (a swith is a branch off a bush or tree used to whip you with). Show out again, the switch got used.

Get expelled from school - A whipping each day you were home with no activities at all during the time of the expelsion.

Get a paddling at school - get another one when you get home.

Get in trouble on the school bus - get a whippin.

Get in trouble at a friends house - get an ass woopen when you get home. In my day your friends parents whipped your ass also if you were bad at there home or where ever you were.

We knew to sit quietly at a meal, be it at home or out at a resturant, the alternative was not worth it.

Bad equates to being mischievious, we were never distructive or mean, just part of growing up. I guess I had "ADD", but, Mom Dad and the teachers took care of that without medication.

My parents loved me but were not my "BUDDY", they were my parents, they worked hard, played hard, sacrifised and kept us safe, fed and warm.

I never once got a whipping I did not deserve as a kid.

Stl Flyn,

I agree 100%. When I was in school all the way thru High School, if you screwed up you got your butt paddled and your parents were contacted which almost certainly meant more when you got home. Now I'm not saying everything was peaches and cream and there was never any trouble but it seems kids had much more respect for their elders. I know I personally wouldn't have dreamed back talking a teacher in school. I got paddled one time in late grade school for something pretty trivial and the embarrassment and shame that went along with it was enough to make me see the errors of my ways. I really truly believe we lost hold when this punishment went out the window.

I always thought that ADD was "Additional Discipline Disorder".

People's lives are so busy now that they cannot take time to spend with each other. From the time a child is walking today, parents have them involved in one thing or another after school, sort of like built in babysitters. Then the parents have their activities also. Parents today try to throw money at their children to make up for their bad parenting. When the kids get into trouble, will the parents step up to the line and admit that they, the parents, are at fault, nope. Then you see the senerio of the parents backing the kids up in hopes of having not to admit their mistakes. Talk about a problem generation. It really started back in the 60's and it snowballed from there. Thank Dr. Spock and his no punishment philosophy.

""Why should she even get $650,000.00 for what happaned???????? That money should go some place else. The homeless, Kids summer events, so on and so on.""

Liberalism in action: Arbitrarily deciding that other people's money, given freely to another person, should be taken away and used for something else.

If you don't like it, don't donate. It's just that simple.

"Thank Dr. Spock and his no punishment philosophy."

Dr. Spock's theories were among the worst things to interfere with proper parenting.

Just because you're a doctor doesn't mean you're not an idiot.

Hey, how many of you remember public service announcements on TV in the mid-1960's saying, "Parents - It's 11 o'clock. Do you know where your children are?"

Brian: I remember them. Just a few weeks ago a local station had one that said" parents, it's 10pm, do you know where your children are"? If I am not mistaken, this occurred during the week and not on a weekend. Steve

I also think a big differance between my upbringing and todays kids is this.

I came up on a working farm, cattle, citrus and row crop farming. We were always busy from the time we got home from school till we went back.

70% of the kids I knew all lived on farms of some kind.

Today very few kids are on farms and way to many metro kids with F'all to do after school, no chores or responsibilities.

As my Old Maid Aunts use to say, " An Idle Mind is the Devils Playground".

They were and are correct.