This story in the Washington Post is absolutely unbelievable. Prince William County, Virginia schools have indefinitely suspended a student because he stood up to a bully. Here’s how the Post describes the incident:
On Feb. 26, James and one of his siblings, Joseph, a fourth-grader, were getting off the school bus when another student, a boy, began mocking a girl. Joseph told the boy to stop, and the two got into a fight. Then the boy followed the brothers from the bus stop, even though he lived on another street.
James, fearing the boy would attack, told Joseph he would run ahead, get a gun and call 911. Then Joseph asked the boy whether he was “afraid of a gun.” James went upstairs to his parents’ room and retrieved his Airsoft rifle (which fires plastic pellets, not bullets) and a cellphone. When Joseph came home, their pursuer was gone, but James was upstairs holding the gun, which was not operable because it did not have its battery.
In Virginia, that will now get you indefinitely suspended from school. It doesn’t matter that James has no history of violence. I doesn’t matter that he has good grades and behavior. It doesn’t matter that James was threatened first. I honestly don’t know what matters.
If you think this is unjust, let the Superintendent of Prince William County Schools, Steven L. Walts, know. His email address is pwcssupt@pwcs.edu and his Executive Assistant’s phone number is 703.791.8712.
Standing up for a weaker person is good. Protecting yourself is always acceptable. Disabling an aggressor is perfectly valid.
Once it moves from beyond the realm of self-protection (and the protection of those you care about) into the realm of threatening physical violence (and potentially fatal violence especially), you change the situation from defense to offense.
I wouldn’t think anyone would have any qualms if a student was indefinitely suspended for threatening to use any type of weapon against a classmate.
He didn’t need to get into a fight with the “bully” who was mocking a girl. He didn’t need to get a Airsoft rifle to scare the “bully.” He could have fought the bully again. Bullies usually cower when confronted.
If I’m reading this right, it did not happen at the school or on the school bus. So why is the school taking any action at all? They would seem to be completely uninvolved, but looking for trouble where they really have no authority.
That’s not standing up to a bully; that’s bluffing extreme retaliation. I despise bullies as much as the next person, but the kid was stupid.
Given the current political climate around the issues of minors and guns, an indefinite suspension is probably the most sensible thing to do, while the school authorities consult with their lawyers as to what their legal obligations are.
The real problem is that — in this country, at least — guns are portrayed as the solution to every conflict. But that’s a rant for a different day.
What is wrong with you? The White House teaches you to let this good boy have his way. He may be given important tasks in the comming one party regime and must be well accustomed to his previleges in order to realize their fullest possible extents.
Stop this disobedient “freedom” nonsense at once. It is unamerican. The world laughs at you.
Daniel: How could I not approve this comment?
HE WAS SUSPENDED BECAUSE HE DID NOT SHOOT THE OTHER BOY. THIS IS AMERICA AND AMERICA DON’T LIKE PEOPLE THAT DON”T USE MILITARY ISSUED AUTOMATIC MACHINE GUNS!!
LET GET READY TO RUMBLE!! HUHA!
sent this to the principle –
here was a time when boys grew to be men. Those men fought in the
world wars. Those men knew how to look after the people they cared
for and they had something called honor. People used their minds
instead of processes and procedures to deal with complex social and
moral issues.
Thank you for reminding me that our nation is no longer a nation of
free thinking people with spines.
The suspension of Joseph is ridiculous and I thank you for helping to
create another generation of litigious cowards. Thank you for
creating another generation of fat whiny babies who learn to play an
artificial system rather than develop the integrity that our world is
so sorely lacking.
People who stand up to bullies, get good grades, and look after their
younger siblings and women should most definitely fall under those who
cower in the corners when there are difficult decisions to be made.
- CH
He grabbed a nearly harmless airsoft gun.
Suspension from school indefinitely? Good lord.
Still, I just read yesterday the crazy candy bans from school got a kid suspended because he bought some skittles from a friend at lunch. Schools are going off the deep-end.
bullying in unacceptable! so lets harass some porn guy at home that thinks bringing guns to minor altercations is wrong.
I’d sympathize with the boy more if he hadn’t threatened to use a gun. It may have only been an airsoft gun, but it was still unnecessary. Calling 911 once the bully started following them should have been enough.
I think it is bullshit that the schools have the power to give out punishments for things that go on outside of school.
My county (just down the road from Prince William), claims that they have power over the students from the time they leave their house in the morning, to the time they get to school. Than again on the ride home. So, if I do something they feel I shouldn’t on the way home, no matter what or when (if it’s a very late night at school), they will suspend.
—————-
on a related note, a few years back a bully (I personally hate this term) and his gang decided to try and rough me up, pinning me for a kid who wouldn’t give a fight. Well, I fought back and won after they jumped me. The school rules state in my county that if I am attacked, and I reciprocate, I get the same punishment that the attacker gets. They told me I should have submitted to the beating, because fighting back would hold me just as responsible as them. In the end, we both got a 2 week suspension (and I, the innocent party). I took it as far as I could, and the rule was upheld, but my personal case was dropped. A win for Bullies everywhere!
tico – In most places a kid is under school rules from the time he leaves the house in the morning with the intent of going to school until he returns home and custody is then transferred to a parent or guardian (or at the time they are picked up by parent or guardian). So, until he actually reached home or was in the custody of his parents the school was responsible for him and for his actions. It sucks for him, but thats how it kinda has to work.
I do think threatening with a gun was a bit much. Guns shouldn’t be used in such situation, and if he were older he might understand that. He should be punished for going too far, but indefinitely suspended is a bit much. This also doesn’t say whether the other kid got in trouble for menacing.
To those of you dumb enough to quote ‘the current political climate’ as a reason why the kid should have shown more restraint:
When’s the last time you saw a 5th grader reading the Washington Post? How the hell is the kid supposed to know about the ‘political climate’?
Anyway, why does what the news media is reporting on have anything to do with right and wrong?
C’mon he’s a child and obviously have seen movies where people get scared and leave when confronted with a gun. Also, you need to understand that it is inbuilt into every human that once afraid you either run away or fight back. He chose the latter so that’s a mistake? and should be punished? for following normal human instinct.
I have to take issue with the “calling 911 should have been enough” comment left by Cody. The police are pretty good at cleaning up AFTER messes, but not so good at getting there before anything bad happens. Being a mom, my question is where was his mother? I guess not at home. Now, before I’m villified for thinking moms should be at home, let me just propose that if an adult is at home when a child runs in the door scared to death, that child might end up making a better decision. Just a thought. I agree that the school district is way out of line in suspending the boy. Whatever you do, don’t stand up to bullies!!!
Unfortunate that James and/or Joseph didn’t pong this punk where he stood. Bag the weapons. Strike a thug in front of a crowd. Those who saw him mocking the girl will recognize justice when they see it.
School districts across the country have watered down standards of fairness largely because the families of this country refuse to raise children with values. Punks like this one picking on a girl are far too common.
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The boy did right. I am positive that the young girl’s mother would tell you so and so would the younger brother. Not ALL bullies back down. He didnt threaten to shoot or kill, he said he was getting his gun and calling 911 . He simply answered each threat elevation properly. Most of all, IT DID HAPPEN OFF SCHOOL PROPERTY. End of of argument.