Ban Bullies

Rant for the day:
In the news today is a story of a "high school hero" who took a gun away from a 14 year old girl on a school bus. Apparently she began waving the gun and threatening others whom had been picking on her when the young 6’4" football player was able to rush the girl and take the gun. His mother is quoted as saying, "I taught him to watch out for each other and others…" Really? Where was this hero while the young girl was being picked on? Don’t get me wrong; he did well in sending kids off the bus and disarming the girl, but maybe the whole situation could have been avoided if he or the bus driver had stopped the bullying early on. Kids can be vicious. I’ve seen and felt the frustration of kids being bullied, teased, ostracized, etc by vicious kids (girls especially) at school. I’ve wanted to shoot a few myself. Parents who feel like this is just "normal behavior" or that kids should just "get used to it" or that it "toughens kids for the outside world" should wake up. I’ve heard parents say those things. I’ve been there and done that while teaching in public schools, and I’m telling you that your kids are dying – not by gun shots, but by words and actions of bullies and lack of action by school officials.