Poll: Should Bullys be Prosecuted? (Poll)

[Sehnsucht Engel]

Yeah, they should be. I've been bullied a lot in my life. Even when I got older... I don't know, but people tend to have a problem with me. I've moved quite a bit too, but it still happens to me. It's not happened lately... I've tried to avoid people, even my classmates.

I also find gossiping to be the part of bullying I hate the most. Like when people start spreading lies about you, behind your back. If I hear someone as much as say my name, to someone else... Well, that's the kind of people I'd avoid no matter what. Not saying that all of them do it, but gossiping still says a lot about a person.

 

[Vivi22]

Do you really need the answer for that?

Because the people doing it aren't adults. They haven't had the benefit of a long enough life to contextualise. There's a reason that there's an age bracket on things such as consent, voting, drinking and prosecution.

If you can't make mistakes in childhood, when exactly do we learn from them?

It's certainly true that the mental development of children is still ongoing and to hold them to the same bar in terms of behaviour from a legal standpoint isn't a good idea. It's also why minors are generally punished differently than adults.

But the problem here is that bullying frequently goes unpunished, and in too many case, can cross the line into criminal behaviour. How can kids be expected to learn from their behaviour when they aren't punished. Moreover, what lessons do we teach the victims by allowing bullies to be untouchable.

I'm not saying jail the bullies, but if they're going to engage in behaviour which would be criminal for an adult, there absolutely needs to be some repercussions beyond putting them in detention or suspending/expelling them which isn't going to do anything.

 

[Strazdas]

Because putting someone who theoretically could turn their lives around (It's possible) in an environment where only cruel and dick'ish survive is certainly going to improve everyone's lives.

But we already do, its called School.

 

[DkLnBr]

The more hardcore bullying should be a crime, where their actions lead to suicide. Bullying this harsh could already be called a crime (for the harassment link, it just started on bullying, but the others like: psychological, racial, sexual, religious, etc. all apply as well)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harassment#Bullying
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assault
Though the dividing line is a little more difficult to determine. Should we send a kid to juvy for good-natured, playful teasing of an overly sensitive cry-baby? no. But the jerk telling the gay kid who attempted suicide to "try and try again" should get punished

 

[Malty Milk Whistle]

Because putting someone who theoretically could turn their lives around (It's possible) in an environment where only cruel and dick'ish survive is certainly going to improve everyone's lives.

But we already do, its called School.

Touché

But you know what i mean. And in school, at least there is /some/ intervention between students and teachers.

 

[Strazdas]

Because putting someone who theoretically could turn their lives around (It's possible) in an environment where only cruel and dick'ish survive is certainly going to improve everyone's lives.

But we already do, its called School.

Touché

But you know what i mean. And in school, at least there is /some/ intervention between students and teachers.

Yes, you will get punished for running if you try to run away from the bullies.

 

[TwiZtah]

No, that's absurd. It sucks that some people are assholes but you can't make being a douchebag against the law. It's just not feasible.

How in the fuck do you think here? If you walked up to someone on the street, calling him names and punching the living crap out of him, you would get jailtime. However, if it happens in school, it's okay?

 

[Malty Milk Whistle]

Because putting someone who theoretically could turn their lives around (It's possible) in an environment where only cruel and dick'ish survive is certainly going to improve everyone's lives.

But we already do, its called School.

Touché

But you know what i mean. And in school, at least there is /some/ intervention between students and teachers.

Yes, you will get punished for running if you try to run away from the bullies.

I am unsure whether you are disagreeing with my statement, or speaking from personal experience or what, to be honest.
Please clarify, you llama you.

 

[Sunrider]

I voted yes, but after thinking a while, I regret it. What they do deserve is a huge beatdown.

 

[Space Spoons]

I don't think bullying of that sort should go unpunished, but the responsibility needs to fall to the school, as that's where the majority of the bullying is going on. The problem is that most schools' disciplinary options have been very badly neutered over the last ten years or so, thanks to sue-happy parents who know their perfect little angels would never EVER do anything warranting punishment.

Even when teachers see bullying going on, there's really not much they can do about it without making the school liable. That's a tremendous problem.

 

[Chronologist]

When I was in elementary school, I was beaten up. Every. Single. Day. I had issues with my physical co-ordination and endurance, so I couldn't land a punch even if I'd wanted to. The school only had one method of punishing students, that being out of school suspension, but it required the consent of the parents of the child in order to enforce the punishment, and the four or five bullies had parents who couldn't give two shits if their kid was beating on other kids on a regular basis. This seriously scarred my physically and psychologically, and I didn't start reaching out to others in friendship until around 9th grade, when I stopped being smaller than everyone else. I still wake up some nights sweating and hyperventilating, and I've been to several therapists.

So yeah, I think that bullies should be held more accountable for their actions, especially physical violence. I got my share of psychological bullying, but I've found that much easier to get over emotionally. Going home with bruises and black eyes every single day is a special kind of hell.

 

[nekoali]

What we need to do more is to enforce the rules that are in place and to guide people away from bullying behavior. Sadly a lot of people even now don't see bullying as being a problem. It's seen more as a 'kids will be kids' behavior.. forgetting that without guidance and supervision, kids are bloody CRUEL to each other. Sadly that is the way they are brought up.

Right now though it is far more common and likely for adults to get into trouble over how they treat kids in their care than for kids to get into trouble for bullying. Teachers, school faculty, even their own parents are afraid to take a strong hand for fear of someone coming along and arresting them for child abuse. There was a time acting out of line got you a smack on the back of the head by a teacher. Now so many are afraid to even speak out about it, and the kids know it... the inmates are running the asylum.

There needs to be a balance.. not careening back and forth until the whole thing falls off the rails. Right now we're tipping over heavily.

 

[MrLumber]

This is a fairly awkward topic imo, mainly because bullying is such an odd topic to begin with. Personally I feel that the only kind of bullying that is genuinely punishable is the stuff that kind be filed under harassment and assault. In other words a pervasive behavior that makes it hard to escape, which, last I checked, does not mean cyber bullying. You know why? You can regulate your own exposure to the internet, and people incapable of doing that most likely have other mental issues already at work. Additionally, its not hard to simply ignore people over the internet. If push comes to shove just don't go on your accounts and move on, its not complicated.

In summary, assault and harassment, sure, cyber bullying and teasing, nope get over it.

 

[Chronologist]

I voted yes, but after thinking a while, I regret it. What they do deserve is a huge beatdown.

I don't believe in stooping down to their level. No, I'd spring for solitary confinement. Put them in a room with the other bullies, have a teacher watch over them and hand out assignments, don't let them talk, and extend their stay if they complain about it. Don't let them out for recess or lunch, and chaperone them out of school afterwards.

Hell, my high school did that to you if you so much as argued with a teacher. I got sent to the councilor's office, then after-school detention every day for three months because I told my music teacher that she gave me bad advice for a piece of art.

Hell, in high school a kid grabbed me and slammed me face-first into the stone floor, and all he got was a 5-day suspension. Suspension's too good for bullies, they just mess around at home and get more free time, then get an excuse why they didn't do any of their homework.

 

[Sunrider]

I voted yes, but after thinking a while, I regret it. What they do deserve is a huge beatdown.

I don't believe in stooping down to their level. No, I'd spring for solitary confinement. Put them in a room with the other bullies, have a teacher watch over them and hand out assignments, don't let them talk, and extend their stay if they complain about it. Don't let them out for recess or lunch, and chaperone them out of school afterwards.

Hell, my high school did that to you if you so much as argued with a teacher. I got sent to the councilor's office, then after-school detention every day for three months because I told my music teacher that she gave me bad advice for a piece of art.

Hell, in high school a kid grabbed me and slammed me face-first into the stone floor, and all he got was a 5-day suspension. Suspension's too good for bullies, they just mess around at home and get more free time, then get an excuse why they didn't do any of their homework.

Agreed on the suspension part. Unless they have wicked strict parents, it's pretty much useless.
I don't think yours is a bad idea, but I still think mine is superior. It might be drastic, but it's the only thing I've seen with my own eyes that actually works.

 

[DANEgerous]

Prosecuted, no get them out of the main crowd somehow if you must like say they are taught in a separate classroom, but as for criminal prosecution no.

I was heavily bullied I never gave a damn until it got physical, even then I did not seek the charges I could have it happen 3 times all would be considered assault yet still all i did was go to someone who could get them my of my classroom or me out of theirs. Problem solved.

 

[DANEgerous]

You're not allowed to verbally harass adults, beat up adults, steal adults money or publically ridicule adults.

Why should the situation be any different for children? Why is bullying tolerated at all?

Laziness. I've seen bullying occur while teachers were present, but to stop the incident would involve pausing their conversation and getting up out of their chairs. Can't have that. I never really was subject to bullying myself, but the outright negligence on the teachers' part always pissed me off.

I must attest to this truth i was tossed out of my chair and had staples slammed into my arm, the teacher did nothing. My attacker lunged again I hit him in the thought then remarked "What the fuck, you best do something about this it is assault!" by this time fear had it my opponent and he randomly said things about how he can not go to jail this finally got my teacher's attention, legal trouble possibly for her and the attacker now terrified and furious was restrain by my classmates out of the door and then locked out soon escorted out by the cops.

This was easily the most severe attack but in this an 2two other cases it was classmates not a teacher the ended the fight. As I stated preciously my only request was to never share a class with him again, no legal charges.

 

[Risingblade]

If there's physical abuse then yes, last time I checked battery was illegal. We have do have a place for young delinquents so send them there, and for those of you who say they should just get over it. If a guy came up to you in the street, beat the shit out of you and took your money wouldn't you report to the cops? It's the same thing here.

 

[Wuvlycuddles]

Yeah... that's not bullying you are describing there, it's abuse.

There is a distinction that I think people should recognize as the general feeling toward schoolyard bullying is to grow a thick skin and just deal with it and for your run of the mill bullying that is exactly what you should do. But what these kids are going through is outright abuse, but it's being called bullying therefore it is perceived as something less severe than it is.

And the danger of not recognizing this distinction could lead to a single idle insult leading to incredibly severe punishment. I wouldn't want to see anyones life fucked up over a few "bad words" said in the heat of the moment.

 

[SenseOfTumour]

I do think the schools can bear some of the blame as some don't wish to even take on board that it's happening, because there seems to be this idea that bullying only happens at 'bad' schools, and therefore if they acknowledge it, they're a worse school.

In these times of testing schools and ratings and inspections, they're under terrible pressure. What needs to happen is that reported bullying should not affect a school's scores in any way. What should affect it is bullying that keeps on happening. If they can show that they're dealing with it, that to me would be a school I'd be happy to send my kids to.

Most of all, kids need to feel that if they approach a teacher, it'll be handled seriously and professionally, as they've probably already been either threated with violence, or there's some kind of blackmail hanging over their heads if they report the bullying.

That of course being another reason why bullied kids don't just 'man up and tell someone'.

No, I don't think jail time is the right answer, but I also don't think we have two options, ignore wrongdoing in society or jail people. The same happened on Question Time this week about the racist twitter trial. No I don't believe he should have been jailed for offensive tweets, however I don't think it's just fine and dandy either.

There's fines, community service, other angles. Of course fines to parents are not ideal, as often bullies come from crappy backgrounds and neglectful parents, and punishing the parents is probably not going to improve the bully's viewpoint on life.

After school work, like community service however, makes them pay for their wrongdoings, AND keeps them away from their victims for a few more hours a week.