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67yo NY granny ruthlessly bullied by middle schoolers

Posted: Jun 21, 2012

as a school bus monitor, a job she does to supplement her Social Security. It pays $15,000 a year. After a video one of the kids made went viral, a website was set up to collect money to send Karen Klein on a vacation with a $5000 goal. Contributions from all over the world came pouring in. So far they have raised $355,666, a sum that added $7000 just in the time it took me to type this post. The new goal is to collect enough money to replace her extra job earnings so she never has to board that bus again. By the looks of things, she's good to go until age 90+ AND can afford the vacation to boot!

http://www.indiegogo.com/loveforkarenhklein

;

A sad article - cc

[ In Reply To ..]
I read that article and watched the video earlier today. I felt so sorry for that woman. She actually had lost a son to suicide. There are some nice people out there that came to her rescue. After all that she does not want to press charges. I hope their parents come down hard on those involved. I think they should get expelled from school.

At the very least - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
those kids should have any use of computers, TVs, cell phones, video games, facebook pages and access to social media suspended indefinitely. If expelled from their current school, their studies should be continued in some alternative setting where academic progress is expected. Once school assignments are completed, the remainder of those empty hours should be spent helping around the house, in counseling, and part of their rehab should include enrollment in a grandparent mentoring community program a couple of hours a week or volunteer work that involves exposure to elders.

Strict benchmarks should be set to allow them to earn back their media access privileges one-by-one, starting with parent-approved TV shows and phone calls to friends to be used as rewards for good progress through these various activities. Hobbies should be encouraged and face-to-face social contacts with peers should be exclusively limited to family outings or adult supervised encounters, such as activities at local community centers, team sports, etc. Future consideration of driving lessons should be contingent on the progress they make over the long term toward a thorough attitude adjustment/makeover.

I say send them to boot camp - Drill sergeants can give them a - tase of their own medicine

[ In Reply To ..]
Parents should also be held responsible for their actions. Maybe give a wake up call to the parents that their kids are "not the kindest" to put it nicely. I saw the video I think yesterday and it was very nauseating I could not watch the whole thing.

Karen Klein - Christine

[ In Reply To ..]
Looks like she got the last laugh. Good for her. I agree with Matt Lauer. He spoke strongly about the young people who did this to her, and said that each one should be ashamed. I saw her interview today on the Today show, and she seems like a very sweet person. Thanks for the update on the money raised.

Those brats should ALL be expelled, and bus - driver fired. (JMHO)

[ In Reply To ..]

I heard on Fox News that she wasn't... - Bindi

[ In Reply To ..]
given the authority by the school district to discipline the kids, expel them from the bus, etc., in situations like this. The news commentator stressed more than once that she could have gotten in trouble, lost her job, etc., if she had stood up to them or taken on an authority role. In our warped, litigious-crazy society, this sounds like something a school district might do. However, Fox News is the only place I've heard that. I've read lots of articles about this event and not one mentioned it. Hmmm... Anyone else hear about that from another news source?

The least I would like see happen is a big, black, permanent mark on these kids' school records, one that a college admissions office couldn't miss. They need to learn that their actions have consequences.

Don't know about authority extended to her - by the district, but

[ In Reply To ..]
I saw her in a Youtube interview (it never showed who she was talking to) that she decided not to report them because it was the day before the last day of school and they probably "wouldn't do anything about it anyway." She also said she had reported other incidents in the past that the school never followed up on. Makes you wonder why they bother paying bus monitors $15,500 per year if they don't take these reports seriously.

Bus monitors in that district, according to a newscast, ... - Bindi

[ In Reply To ..]
are trained in CPR, etc. Apparently, she used to be assigned to a bus that routinely carried special needs kids.

That is ridiculous!! I remember riding a school bus - sm

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bus drivers always getting on to the kids. I know what this world is coming to, it is coming to a society that is too scared to discipline the kids. Scary to think where we will end up.

I live one town over from this incident.... - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
so there has been quite a bit of coverage locally. These little turds are getting their comeupance (sp?) in spades. They cannot leave their houses because there is so much outrage over this, so at least if the parents won't do anything, society at large seems to be taking care of it.

The funny thing is right after they ran this story last night, they ran another story of a bus driver being charged with endangering a minor for putting her hand over his mouth in an effort to shut him up. He was not injured, but the parents pressed charges. If my son came home and told me the bus driver had to put her hand over his mouth to shut him up, he would have my foot up his a$$ in a hurry. I really worry about society as whole when these things occur. As I tell my son often times when he can't go somewhere or do something that it is not that I don't trust him, its that I don't trust others, which really is sad.

The community reaction is interesting - Good for them, but

[ In Reply To ..]
the child endangerment charges are a crock.

It's one thing for us to share outrage over something that is, well, this outrageous and to discuss how we, as parents, would handle it. All suggestions here sofar sound appropriate. It's another thing to address the dilemma of how bus drivers and monitors should handle these incidents in realtime as they are happening.

The drivers do not have a lot of leeway on routes and schedules, but if I were driving and this happened, I would pull into the first parking lot and make it clear to the offenders and onlookers that the bus is not moving as long as THEY are endangering all the riders by creating such as distraction for the driver. Once they shut their traps and are seated, I would also seize the moment to inform the kids exactly why the behaviors are unacceptable and make it clear that they will be reported to their teachers, principles and parents, and that appropriate consequences are inevitable.

One thing I don't understand is why are there no seat belts on school buses? There are only 6 states that have school bus seat belt laws. That would be one way to keep them out of the aisles and would also give the driver justification to pull over whenever a kid isn't using one. I think there also should be some discretion given to drivers to enforce some sort of noise thresholds. Personally, I would like to see a silence code enforced, or restricting authorized activities to low key pursuits, like talking on a cell, texting, using an ipod, reading, or simply sitting quietly looking out the window.

This may sound naive, but an alternative to that would be to turn monitors into activities directors once or twice a week by engaging them in voluntary participation in simple games, or some kind of Q&A exercise. One thing is certain. This kind of commotion is not tolerated in the classroom. While the bus is in motion, this is not simply a disciplinary issue. It is a matter of safety. Why can the schools not come up with some kind of creative programs that engage kids in positive ways while they are riding the bus to and from school?

Your thoughts?

seatbelts and more - cindy

[ In Reply To ..]
I have been told in the past that they do not have seatbelts on buses because if in an accident and the bus has to be evacuated quickly, it would be impossible for a bus driver to be responsible for getting all of the students out of their seats and off of the bus, especially if there are many that are trapped in their seatbelts. Not many buses have monitors or other help on the bus. In fact, only buses with kids with a physical disability have a monitor to help out in my area; otherwise, it is all on the bus driver.

I think you made some good points in having someone to do activities on the bus, but you are correct, there are different expectations on a bus than in the classroom and there is no protection for the kids at the bus stop at all. One day my son was pelted with chunks of ice at his bus stop and I could not get down to the bus stop fast enough to prevent this, as I watched him from my back door to make sure he got on the bus okay. I called the school furious and wanted the two or three kids to be disciplined but got told that if I wanted anything done about it, I had to call the police.

You allow kids to be bullies now and that is what they will be when they are adults. Unfortunately, bullying does not stop in school. It takes place at work, as well, with no recourse if you do not want to lose your job! So yes, we sure as heck need to do something about these kids now!

Maybe I'm a little too liberal, but these are kids! - Maybe this could turn into a learning mechanism?

[ In Reply To ..]
It seems that the obvious "punishment" for these kids should be to have to do 50 hours (or whatever number) of volunteer service at a Senior Citizens center or a nursing home. Let them learn first hand that older people are real people with lives and histories and feelings, and maybe they'll learn a little about respect!

The little monsters - threatened her!

[ In Reply To ..]
Do you really think they should be allowed near vulnerable elderly people? Would you want them anywhere near your elderly relatives? They threatened grave harm. The struck her. They are deeply evil little monsters and should not be shut away for the rest of their worthless lives.

She said in an interview today...... - dc

[ In Reply To ..]
that she would like to see the kids get community service. I agree, but it should be a long stint of community service at an old folks home! They just might learn a thing or two whether they like it or not!

Again - would you want

[ In Reply To ..]
anywhere near an elderly relative of yours? They're dangeroud. They're monsters. If they had actually had weapons, they probably would have killed that wouman. I would never want one of those filthy beasts near any relative of mine.

Wow!! You seem awfully angry about something - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
that is not that big a deal. They did not threaten harm or hit her. They taunted her. Yes, it was rude and cruel and heartless, but they are not filthy beasts. They are kids who need a good whooping.

They most certainly did threaten her - they are not "just kids"

[ In Reply To ..]
who "made a mistake." They made conscious choices to do what they did. And they did, indeed, threaten to harm her. You may welcome them into your home and allow them to interact with your vulnerable elderly loved ones, I want them put away where they cannot harm anyone but others like themselves.

Yes, I'm angry. There are too many of these monsters being raised by spineless, permissive, lazy parents. Everyone should be angry about it.

I agree. I can't tell you how repulsed I was watching it - it made me nauseous

[ In Reply To ..]
They knew exactly what they were doing. It makes me sick to think there are pieces of human debris like that walking around. This person did nothing wrong and those filthy little demons are walking around. I heard one of them was getting death threats and that when I wanted to say to him, see how does it feel? I say immediate draft into the marines for them with a drill sergeant right on their little behinds. AND their parents too. Maybe let their parents find out the brunt of what their little "precious" did to another human being. I'll bet 1 day with a drill sergent and the parents will think twice about the monsters they raised.

Under no circumstances should they ever be allowed to be around elderly people. Unless its in the basement of an elderly home washing out bedpans.

I've never been so angry and disgusted in my entire life. I haven't followed up on the story so I don't know what happened to those punks. Hey, I've got a better idea. Send them to the Peruvian jail that Vanderslot is in. 1 toilet covered in feces that they have to clean with a toothbrush. Now that's what I would call proper punishment.

So disgusted there are people on this earth like them. Same with the girls on the bus who beat up another girl, or the ones in the fast food place that beat up someone. Or the ones who stripped and beat a man in the street or the ones who jumped a former soldier. Disgusted with what people have become. Maybe if they turned off the reality shows and put on something of substance it might be a little better.

They talked about - breaking into her house,

[ In Reply To ..]
repeatedly asked for her address so they could pee and poop in her yard, and "joked" about sodomizing her. This was not simple taunting, regardless of their age. It was textbook verbal abuse....10 long minutes of nonstop name calling, belittling and humiliation, undeterred even after she started crying. It was obvious they were enjoying themselves the entire time.

As somone who endured verbal and physical abuse as a child and in a previous 10-year marriage, IMO these disturbing signs need to be nipped in the bud ASAP. I would not pronounce them hopeless psychopaths, but their words and actions indicate a rather pressing need for psychological/psychiatric assessment and counseling. Judging from one of their dad's statement that his son "had suffered enough," unfortunately I doubt that is going to happen.

I agree with you... - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
I would not want them around anyone I care for. If my kids went to that district, I would specifically demand that they be kept away from these little animals. By the way, they did threaten her, saying they could stick a knife in her belly like butter. This goes beyond kids stuff and falls into the realm of psychopaths with no empathy for other human beings, which is a very dangerous thing.

Mob mentality - wary

[ In Reply To ..]
It's more than simple bullying. Lots of experiments about how people do things as part of a group (Nazis, gang rape, bar fights, etc.) that they would never do do individuals. It's scary.

I wish our district had bus aides - sm - MTbussub

[ In Reply To ..]
the handicap/special needs buses have aides (only make $7K a year), but the regular buses is it just the kids and the driver. I wish we had bus aides, make the driver's life a bit easier. The driver has no power to kick a kid off. We can report them is all (other than moving them up front on the bus to keep a better eye on them), and unless it was something really bad not much is likely to be done. But if the kid(s) is really bad we can take them back to the school and they will handle it from there (or we call 911 if a fight with a weapon, very, very rare, and instant expulsion from school). Our regular bus drivers don't make $15K a year (they make less). The kids are rowdy with a sub usually, some buses are worse then others. I have to watch the kids as I drive which is no easy task, make sure no one is acting up, throwing things in the bus or out a window, hitting, shoving, kicking, etc. The issue I deal with the most is just the noise factor, they can be way too loud and hard to hear the helpers (kids on the bus) who are telling you where the bus stops are if it is the afternoon run (mornings are easy, they are standing out at the end of their driveways, etc). Luckily most the kids here are pretty good, but if anyone acts up excessively they get reported to the school, after so many infractions they will be kicked off the bus for so many days and parents have to drive them to school, so that is generally a good incentive for them to behave as most live many miles (10+) from the school.

I did not watch the video on the aide being harrassed, but her job is to deal with these kids and that is what she should have done. You need thick skin for bus driving, and obviously bus aiding too. I have had kids try to bully other kids on the bus and I stopped the bus and have gotten in their face and took care of business right away by talking to them in no uncertain terms to stop what they were doing, every action of theirs would have severe consequences, and they stopped immediately. They were warned and knew if they kept it up I was not playing with them. It is hard to do and I have had a boy or two threaten to hit me (they pulled their arm back then were smart enough to think twice and not do it), but had they followed thru I'd have had them arrested then and there for assault and they would have been expelled from school, no pussyfooting around. A big part of this job is showing no fear, just about every kid is bigger than me (5'3", 145 pounds), so unless you want to be eaten alive you must be strong (or at least appear that way).

completely agree - victim behavior

[ In Reply To ..]
I read an editorial this weekend that discussed the monitor's behavior as that of a victim. She was supposed to be monitoring their behavior, and I have to assume, intervene when needed. She did nothing. She did not say that's enough, no more. She turned her head to ignore it, which only lead to an increase in the bad behavior. If she cannot do her job, she should not have it.

An airline is offering this woman and 9 friends a free round-trip flight to Disney Land or something similar. Her words? "I didn't do anything to earn it." Exactly.

I agree - (sm)

[ In Reply To ..]
What is the point of having a bus monitor if the person is unable to meet the performance requirements of the position?

I absolutely feel for the woman, but they needed a bus monitor for a reason and it appears that she was not up to the task.

Well then I guess it's lucky for everyone that - she now has money enough to retire.

[ In Reply To ..]
From what I read, she has no real authority to do anything. She is there in case of a medical emergency, but go ahead and blame this poor woman for the way she was treated by these rotten kids. Makes me wonder how your children act.

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