[NorthstarMom]

My brother was one of those awkward quiet kids who got bullied, every single day for years. Swirlies in the locker room after phy ed, stuffed in his locker, etc. It followed him home through nasty prank phone calls & he would stand there pretending to have a conversation in front of us so we wouldn’t know. I just happened to pick up another extension once so I heard it.

I have since found out that my Mom cried herself to sleep over him many nights, she used to find suicide poetry in his room. It was that bad for him. She hired an older teen (really good wrestler and tough farm kid) from church to befriend my brother and watch over him at school.

This mom went too far, but my brother could have used a public stand off proving that his family was in his corner. Although stabbing and going for a gun? That’s crazy.

[hoagy62]

This mom went too far, but my brother could have used a public stand off proving that his family was in his corner. Although stabbing and going for a gun? That’s crazy.

Sadly, there are parents nowadays who won't respond to anything less than the threat of 'extreme measures' when confronted. They don't give a rip if their kid is bullying someone else...in fact, some encourage it.

My oldest kid gets bullied sometimes. I'm not sure how I'd react if I actually saw it occurring.

[longfellowsmuse]

Schools give very good lip service to ending bullying but that is where it ends. Despite all the training, teachers and administrators still do very little to punish bullies even when confronted with indisputable evidence. The dirty little secret is that often teachers side with the bullies, believing that the “weak” should learn to stick up for themselves. Should the victim however have the courage to speak out often teachers will punish the victim... ask me how I know.

What these two women did was clearly wrong and endangered the safety of many people. It is easy to understand their frustration with a system that refuses to protect their children. Add to that poor education and lack of impulse control among the parents and you have a recipe for disaster.

[Nea Wood]

My heart breaks for your poor brother. I’ve never understood why some kids are so horrible.

[Albion Wilde]

Swirlies in the locker room after phy ed, stuffed in his locker, etc.

I am sorry for your brother. Hope things turned out ok for him.

What is a swirlie?

[reed13k]

I was in a similar situation growing up...mainly due to an early move where I just didn't find a place in the new group. It didn't stop until walking home they knocked my books out and hit me in the stomach. Kid was a good 6" taller than me with maybe 25-30 lbs heavier. I blacked out and came to with people pouring out of the restaurant (including my grandma and the grandpa of the other kid) and pulling me away. I had blood on my boots. He was missing his front teeth. I still don't know how I kicked that high. They left me alone after that. Happened again later in life where they didn't know me, but not physical - stopped after I publically stood up and called them out on it. Got drinks for that one. - sometimes you just gotta stand up.