Posted on 09/14/2007 12:25:48 PM PDT by Daffynition
CAMBRIDGE — Two students at Central Kings Rural High School fought back against bullying recently, unleashing a sea of pink after a new student was harassed and threatened when he showed up wearing a pink shirt.
The Grade 9 student arrived for the first day of school last Wednesday and was set upon by a group of six to 10 older students who mocked him, called him a homosexual for wearing pink and threatened to beat him up.
The next day, Grade 12 students David Shepherd and Travis Price decided something had to be done about bullying.
"It’s my last year. I’ve stood around too long and I wanted to do something," said David.
They used the Internet to encourage people to wear pink and bought 75 pink tank tops for male students to wear. They handed out the shirts in the lobby before class last Friday — even the bullied student had one.
"I made sure there was a shirt for him," David said.
They also brought a pink basketball to school as well as pink material for headbands and arm bands. David and Travis figure about half the school’s 830 students wore pink.
It was hard to miss the mass of students in pink milling about in the lobby, especially for the group that had harassed the new Grade 9 student.
"The bullies got angry," said Travis. "One guy was throwing chairs (in the cafeteria). We’re glad we got the response we wanted."
David said one of the bullies angrily asked him whether he knew pink on a male was a symbol of homosexuality.
He told the bully that didn’t matter to him and shouldn’t to anyone.
"Something like the colour of your shirt or pants, that’s ridiculous," he said.
"Our intention was to stand up for this kid so he doesn’t get picked on."
Travis said the bullies "keep giving us dirty looks, but we know we have the support of the whole student body.
"Kids don’t need this in their lives, worrying about what to wear to school. That should be the last thing on their minds."
When the bullied student put on his pink shirt Friday and saw all the other pink in the lobby, "he was all smiles. It was like a big weight had been lifted off is shoulder," David said. No one at the school would reveal the student’s name.
Travis said that growing up, he was often picked on for wearing store-brand clothes instead of designer duds.
The two friends said they didn’t take the action looking for publicity, but rather to show leadership in combating what they say is frequent bullying in schools.
Bunk. The boys didn't like the shirt. If it wasn't about the shirt color being perceived as girly then this story is meaningless.
Is it any business of theirs what color the younger boy's shirt was? Does that give the punks the right to gang ujp on him and threaten to beat him up?
The only way you can say the bullies wouldn't have stopped is if you can show they have a violent history. Since we are not talking about a detention facility, I assume they have no such history.
Bullies, if unapposed, very seldom cease their behavior short of accomplishing what they set out to do -- physically harm or humiliate their victim. THAT IS VIOLENCE -- history or no history.
You admit that they are bullies/ Well, look at a couple of definitions: bully 1. : a person who hurts frightens, threatens or tyrannizes pver those who are smaller or weaker. 2. a fine fellow, or other similar definitions.
...group of six to 10 older students who mocked him, called him a homosexual for wearing pink and threatened to beat him up.
Isn't that violent enough for you? Do they have to beat the kid to a bloody pulp before you will quit patting them on the ass and defending their vile behavior?
It should be news to no one that pink is considered a girl color. Outside of a brief time when it was fashionable for boys to wear pastels, it has been the case that boys won't be caught dead in pink my entire life. Ask the general public if it is a good idea for a 9th grade boy to wear a pink shirt for his first day at a new school I'll bet no one of any age will think it is a good idea.And I'll bet you that damned few of them would pujt up a strong and consistent defence of a gang of 6 to 10 punks picking on a kid -- hoimosexual or not.
Sissies. They’re all still sissies. Why don't you go tell them that face to face?
I have done so many times.
I have done so many times. 1. All 400+ of them? 2. How'd you do it so fast -- it only happened a couple of days ago?
Yuk, yuk...you are so full of wit. You know what I meant. You go ahead and defend men in pink and boys with purses and bath house guys. Clearly we don’t have enough crybabies in our society.
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