Zero Tolerance Idiocy Down Under
Stories like this one make my blood boil!
Let's see if I have this right. The attack took place off school grounds. The kid has been attacked more than once. The attack went on for 45 minutes and the kid couldn't even get up off the ground when it was over. The kid was targeted because of his speech impediment. Students stood around and watched the fight, recording it for distribution to others. The kid and his mother have been threatened by the mother of one of the attackers for contacting the police and pursuing the matter through the legal system. The the attackers had kick-boxing training. And yet the victim, because he attempted to defend himself, was suspended just like his attackers.
This case, my friends is horrific. The attack didn't happen at school and, I assume, happened outside of the course of the school day, so I don't see where the school has any jurisdiction over the matter. Apparently the school believes it does, so I'll set that matter aside. But to punish the obvious victim for exercising his basic human right to defend himself is obscene. I'd love to know if the spectators, especially those filming the attack, were punished as well.
I always understood that Australia was a nation of rugged individuals. Apparently it has degenerated into one more namby-pamby nation of wusses. Now it is training its children to be good little Frenchmen, prepared to surrender at the first sign of aggression in the hopes that the enemy won't hurt them too bad.
The bashing of a teenage boy has been filmed by a gang of bullies – and the incident has rocked one of Victoria's top government schools.
Several senior students from Balwyn High School were suspended over the attack at a park near the school and the victim's mother is considering legal action.
Principal Bruce Armstrong confirmed that the students had recorded the attack using a camera on a mobile phone.
Mr Armstrong said it had been the school's most serious incidence of bullying since he became principal.
The school also suspended the Year 11 victim because he retaliated during the attack.
Let's see if I have this right. The attack took place off school grounds. The kid has been attacked more than once. The attack went on for 45 minutes and the kid couldn't even get up off the ground when it was over. The kid was targeted because of his speech impediment. Students stood around and watched the fight, recording it for distribution to others. The kid and his mother have been threatened by the mother of one of the attackers for contacting the police and pursuing the matter through the legal system. The the attackers had kick-boxing training. And yet the victim, because he attempted to defend himself, was suspended just like his attackers.
This case, my friends is horrific. The attack didn't happen at school and, I assume, happened outside of the course of the school day, so I don't see where the school has any jurisdiction over the matter. Apparently the school believes it does, so I'll set that matter aside. But to punish the obvious victim for exercising his basic human right to defend himself is obscene. I'd love to know if the spectators, especially those filming the attack, were punished as well.
I always understood that Australia was a nation of rugged individuals. Apparently it has degenerated into one more namby-pamby nation of wusses. Now it is training its children to be good little Frenchmen, prepared to surrender at the first sign of aggression in the hopes that the enemy won't hurt them too bad.
posted by Greg at
3/12/2005 09:27:00 PM
