I'm not sure if that was directed toward me...

If so, then yes I do see it as binary in nature. Most issues are. Either it is something that can be solved and you solve it or it's something that you can't solve and you don't. A or B. This is B. I can't solve the fundamental nature of humanity. Trying only makes me angrier. I've tried.

As to the distance... yes, if it were my kid, I'd feel it more. I also realize that I still couldn't stop it. The world treats people like shit, and I can't make that not true for my kids, as much as it would be nice to pretend otherwise.

Also... you guys must have had a different experience with asshole gym teachers than I did. I got sent to run laps for an hour because I got pantsed in front of the girl's gym class. Because, of course, the pantsers were athletes and someone had to get punished. That was not an exception, either, that was the sort of thing that was standard. Nor was gym the exception, really, just the most obvious example.

It can't be solved, no. That doesn't mean that it can't be mitigated, at which point it becomes a matter of degrees.

Let's head this one off now before it goes crazy.

Johann: that was not directed at you. That question was directed at BCGamer, who said:

The situations I listed were all variables that, for me at least, create several potential points between Fighting Against the Bad Thing and Approving of the Bad Thing.

Just to be extra clear: I don't see your (Johan's) reaction as a binary, and I was legitimately asking if BCGamer did. Not to argue or condemn or disagree, but because I wanted to know if he was just using a rhetorical device or if he truly thinks about these issues in the terms he gave.

Yet again my curiosity leads me to ask questions I shouldn't and my inability to communicate makes it sound like I've got an axe to grind rather than just being curious and liking to think about these things.

Sorry folks.

Edit: Oh, Johan? My gym teacher experience was much like yours. I just painted some possible scenarios to illustrate that those things would still be f'd up AND still be vastly different than bullying a 10yo autistic kid.

Speaking to your personal experience: that sh*t was f'd up, yo. And yet, comparing even that to what happened to this kid who has a brain condition that makes it difficult/impossible for him to defend himself or even to communicate what's going on and seek help just isn't a balanced comparison (IMO).

I got sent to the principal's office for hitting the overhead lights with my feet. Of course this happened when one of the guys who puberty at like 4 years old and was 6' 220lbs in 8th grade snatched me (all of about 80lbs) out of my chair and tried to give me a pile driver. Being the new kid also meant that I got to enjoy daily fights at lunch... all of which were my fault obviously.

Can't say my school experience was much different than what I am reading here. And I endured being the new kid several times.

I posted this the video to my Facebook page. Here's one of my friends responding:
When Sam was in, I think, 5th grade, and going through a period of behavioral problems at the Children's School -- inattentiveness and physical tics, mostly -- his teachers made fun of him and mocked him openly in front of the rest of the class. We didn't find out about it until after he had left. We had several conferences with these teachers, and of course they never let on that, in the midst of Sam's other difficulties, they were humiliating him in front of his classmates.

Whenever I bring up those two years at the Children's School -- which I don't do any more -- the pain and anger is readily apparent. I don't think I'd be exaggerating if I said that he still hates those people.

Now, this was a rather pricey private school in midtown Atlanta, demonstrating that this sort of thing can happen anywhere. But Sam's behavioral problems didn't really resolve until we started home-schooling him. We had to take him completely out of the educational grist-mill and do it ourselves. But he thrived after that.

I will not stand for wrong if I can do something, anything to stop it. I fiercely protect me and mine. Writing letters, getting in faces, removing my kids from the situation. I spread the word about how we were treated at my child's last school. Yes, people are jerks, and yes, they will continue to be jerks... but if they are jerks to my kids or my friends I will do something about it and not sit apathetically by and do nothing.

The Werefrog watched the video, and perhaps was too angry when he said it,but does he ever reveal at which school this occurred?

This is the sort of thing that should bring some national attention for some immediate retribution from the teacher/aides involved, but also some legislation that specifically prevents the protection of teachers when they act in such a manner.


The Werefrog, as some of you know, have a masters of education degree. The Werefrog taught a special needs class as a student teacher. Even in training, without any particular education on the subject of special needs because The Werefrog know The Werefrog can't handle that full time, The Werefrog hope no one could ever claim to have seen The Werefrog do anything close to what this teacher did. The Werefrog may have hurt those students, and that is only because The Werefrog have one of those disabilities. However, The Werefrog would not tolerate bullying from anyone, student or teacher.

The Werefrog would have seen a teacher fired immediately had The Werefrog witnessed actions such as that.

Don't confuse pessimism with realism, Chris.


I don't recall him saying it in the video. It's on his website though: Horace Mann Elementary in Cherry Hill, New Jersey.

I think the most irritating part of this story for me is the fact that there were consequences for seemingly only one of the aides. I'm not going to be the Internet Tough Guy and say they should go to prison, or whatever. But if this in any indication they should not be involved with teaching little kids. That and at the very least a metaphorical slap to indicate this crap shouldn't be tolerated would have been nice.

I agree. Some degree of punitive measures seems sensible, but removing them from their current position isn't even that. Removing them from their current position is just harm reduction at this point, and inaction the perpetuation of harm on whoever it is that has the misfortune of having them as "teachers" in the future.

Draw and Quarter perhaps"
At the very least they should be removed from their access to children. I understand it can be very at times. I watched my 5th grade teacher, a wonderful and sweet lady, pushed over the edge by a single student in our class that was severe ADHD (they didn't call it that back then) - the system insisted he be mainstreamed. She was not prepared to provide what that kid needed.
This case is different. This person should have been equipped to handle special needs children.
She might serve another role in the education system very well, but she should never be allowed to hold a position of authority over children or have unsupervised access to them.