Defending his daughter

[Bright Star]

The story about the dad who got on the bus to defend his daughter cause she was being bullied raised some questions in my mind. One of which is that if the school that she goes to has a zero tolerance policy against bullying then why was she being bullied? AND why might he go to jail for what he did? So it's ok for his daughter to be bullied but it's not ok for the father to defend her?

The whole thing stinks. On the other hand, they could pass a whole truck load of laws against bullying & it won't do a damn thing cause teachers can't be everywhere.

Bullies have always targeted the weak or weak looking. & it's a sad fact that when someone who's bullied trys to defend themselves that they are the ones who get into trouble. Bullies somehow get away with it.

[Greenday]

Link? I have zero idea what you are talking about.

[IDrinkaRum]

Here is a link to one of many articles and a copy of the video

Daughter was being bullied on bus, was afraid to go to school, and has cerebral palsy.

What I want to know is, why wasn't the child put on a special needs bus? Don't all counties/states have those?

[AdminAssistant]

What I want to know is, why wasn't the child put on a special needs bus? Don't all counties/states have those?

Maybe not. There wasn't one in my county growing up - or at least in my part of the county. In rural/poor areas, I imagine everyone rides the same bus.

[Greenday]

Well, he rightfully was arrested because he went on a school bus threatening children. I wouldn't want some psycho to get on a school bus and start my kids if I had any. I'd want him locked up.

And that's what he is, a psycho. Because any sane person would have contacted the police/media/lawyers/etc. Not threaten a school bus full of children.

[Bright Star]

Well, he rightfully was arrested because he went on a school bus threatening children. I wouldn't want some psycho to get on a school bus and start my kids if I had any. I'd want him locked up.

And that's what he is, a psycho. Because any sane person would have contacted the police/media/lawyers/etc. Not threaten a school bus full of children.

That's overshadowing the fact that the daughter was bullied. The problem still exists. Throwing him in jail isn't going to solve the original problem.

[IDrinkaRum]

Chatari and James Jones (Daughter & Father) interviewed by Matt Lauer

Mr. Jones tells his side of the story.

Daughter was crying at the school bus, when bus came up, 20 minutes late, students in total chaos, and father felt compelled to do something.

Chatari hasn't been to school since the incident on the bus. Was hospitalized for a week due to "stress" because she blamed herself for her father getting arrested. She is being home-scholed, though she'd like to go back to her regular school. When Matt Lauer asked her if she thought things would be any different, she said she didn't think so.

[Greenday]

That's overshadowing the fact that the daughter was bullied. The problem still exists. Throwing him in jail isn't going to solve the original problem.

I'm not ignoring the bullying. I gave a bunch of valid suggestions for how to deal with the bullies. All of which were better options than going onto the bus and terrorizing a group of children.

[crashhelmet]

Well, he rightfully was arrested because he went on a school bus threatening children. I wouldn't want some psycho to get on a school bus and start my kids if I had any. I'd want him locked up.

And that's what he is, a psycho. Because any sane person would have contacted the police/media/lawyers/etc. Not threaten a school bus full of children.

Acts of anger and rage, especially when protecting a loved one, do not constitute psychotic behavior. It's not even sociopathic behavior.

Did he deserve to get arrested? Sure, but only for the crimes he was charged with. Disorderly conduct and disturbing a school function. He didn't physically assault any of the kids on the bus. He did what any parent that actually cares about their kids would have done.

If anything, he has the right to sue the school district for allowing his daughter to be subjected to a hostile environment. That video was shot from a camera on the bus. The driver and those responsible for viewing the footage are responsible for stepping up and putting an end to that kind of behavior.

CH

[IDrinkaRum]

As a mother of a special needs daughter, I can understand the father's rage. If the circumstances were right, and she was a regular school bus, and she was being bullied, I'd talk to the bus driver, the students on the bus, but if neither listened, I'd lose my temper too.

Going Momma & Poppa Bear for the sake of your kids can happen. And with a special needs child, your Momma/Poppa Bear instincts go off the charts.

This girl was poked with pencils, pens, fingers, had condoms thrown at her, even had an open condom thrown into her hair! And this activity wasn't reported by the bus driver?

If the bus had video cameras recording all this, why wasn't it reported?

There is FAIL all the way around here.

[telecom_goddess]

Wow....yup that's the sign of a true bully....pick on the kid that doesn't even have the ability to run away let alone fight back.

Great to see that kids haven't changed since school began in this country.

[BlaqueKatt]

Well, he rightfully was arrested because he went on a school bus threatening children. <snip> I'd want him locked up.

Had someone thrown an opened condom in my hair, due to my latex allergy they could be charged with aggravated assault/attempted murder-but because it was "only a kid doing it" it becomes ok?

What if she was being sexually assaulted by another student-I guess he should just be ok with it.

But just because he's an adult and they're kids, he should just stand by calmly while his child is pleading for help and wait for someone else to handle it right?

Because any sane person would have contacted the police/media/lawyers/etc. Not threaten a school bus full of children.

when a parent's child is in danger, and the people that are supposed to be preventing it do nothing a parent can lose the ability for logical/rational thought. or have you never seen people threaten or actually harm those that have harmed their children? It's called "extreme Emotional Duress"

[Greenday]

Had someone thrown an opened condom in my hair, due to my latex allergy they could be charged with aggravated assault/attempted murder-but because it was "only a kid doing it" it becomes ok?

What if she was being sexually assaulted by another student-I guess he should just be ok with it.

But just because he's an adult and they're kids, he should just stand by calmly while his child is pleading for help and wait for someone else to handle it right?

when a parent's child is in danger, and the people that are supposed to be preventing it do nothing a parent can lose the ability for logical/rational thought. or have you never seen people threaten or actually harm those that have harmed their children? It's called "extreme Emotional Duress"

Arguments that have nothing to do with the situation. I love it.

She wasn't being beaten up, sexually assaulted, etc. She was being harassed. Being harassed shouldn't result in spazzing out and acting like a physical threat to people. The most obvious answer to it is reporting it to authorities. He made zero attempt to do so.

You know what my mom did when she found out I was being constantly bullied? She physically went to the school and fought until something was done. Kids were suspended for multiple weeks. My mom threatened legal action. She didn't spaz out and attack any of the kids.

[crashhelmet]

Arguments that have nothing to do with the situation. I love it.

She wasn't being beaten up, sexually assaulted, etc. She was being harassed. Being harassed shouldn't result in spazzing out and acting like a physical threat to people. The most obvious answer to it is reporting it to authorities. He made zero attempt to do so.

She was poked, pushed, and had all sorts of things thrown at her. That's a little more than just harassment. Go poke, push, or throw things at a cop. See where it lands you.

You know what my mom did when she found out I was being constantly bullied? She physically went to the school and fought until something was done. Kids were suspended for multiple weeks. My mom threatened legal action. She didn't spaz out and attack any of the kids.

He didn't attack any of the kids either. He yelled, pointed fingers, and said things he shouldn't have, but he did not attack them.

CH

[Greenday]

So an adult who is older and supposed to act more mature is being held to the same level as the bullies? Wow.

An adult threatening kids is different from kids threatening kids, especially in the eyes of the law.