WATE has the story about a fight on a Knox County school bus, but unlike most, where witnesses may or may not talk, this one was caught on tape (by another student).
It’s patently obvious that the victim did not fight back, yet he, too, is out of school until a disciplinary hearing can be held.
The fight happened October 5 on the way home from school. It was filmed by another student who wasn’t involved in the fight. And it was posted on the site my.break.com.
It’s not known what lead up to the fight. But the video shows a 14-year-old boy named Aaron standing up on the bus saying he doesn’t want to fight .
Aaron is heard saying, "I’m not getting in a fight. I’m not going to fight," several times. He says "Let me through! Let me through!"
But as Aaron tries to make his way down the aisle, another student blocks his way, pushes him and starts punching him.
Once Aaron falls to the floor of the school bus, the other student is seen kicking and stomping on him until the bus driver pulls him off.
Amazingly Aaron wasn’t seriously hurt. But his mother, Kimberly Carlisle, is outraged.
As she has every right to be.
When a student is jumped by one or more others seeking a fight, it’s my opinion that the victim should not be punished — even if he or she attempts to defend against the attack. (By defend, I do not mean revenge, but a shove to create the opportunity to get away should be acceptable).
In this instance, there’s a tape (it’s short — go ahead and see for yourself) that shows unquestionably that the victim did nothing wrong. No defense at all. Yet, he’s falling behind in his classes (right at the end of the term, even) because the school system can’t seem to see what’s right there for the whole world to judge.
The victim in this case is doubly harmed: once by the beating, and again by putting his academic success at risk. It should never happen that way.
Saw the tape on the news. I would be outraged as the mother, also. You tell your children not to fight in school and then when they follow the right path the system punishes them. Doesn’t make sense to me.
Thats what happens when you put draconian, inflexible rules like that ‘zero tolerance’ crap into place.
Well, if it happened to my son I’d walk right into the school with him, go to his class with him and stand outside the door until the school called the police to force him and myself to leave. No way I stand for a totally unnecessary and meaningless detention from school when he clearly was the victim.
At the same time I would be starting legal proceedings against the family of the kid that hit him. That boy would be out of school for a long time, and their family would be making restitution to us as well.
Greg Isaccs to the rescue! Soon to be seen in a court near you!
Along with dear old Herber Moncier.
Bet they have been called. Could possibly be the DREAM TEAM. Seriously, this is where some common sense has to be used by the administration. There has to be accountability for your actions but there also has to be a reprieve for a child who follows the rules at the cost of a beating. If it were my child, I would have told them to protect themselves, not to throw the first punch but if it is thrown finish it and then I would take action against the school for not protecting my child. The law provides for self defense.
How absurd. I feel that the mother should sue the school district for all damages, including emotional distress for herself and her son, and for the college tuition that the suspension could keep her son from obtaining.