Community will ticket parents of bullies

[jdmyprez_deo_vindice]

http://www.today.com/moms/community-will-ticket-parents-chronic-bullies-6C10172548

Tickets aren’t just for speeding anymore in one Wisconsin community -- cops there can also hand them out to families whose children torment other kids.

Monona, a suburb of Madison, Wis., recently adopted an ordinance that allows police to cite the parents of chronic bullies. If they’re notified in writing that their child is bullying, and the bad behavior happens again within 90 days, the parents can be fined $114 in municipal court.

Julie Hertzog, director of the National Bullying Prevention Center, said this is the first community she has seen pass such a rule. But police noted they don’t expect to use it very often.

“There’s a lot of discretion here. If we go to someone’s house and the parents are just at wit’s end, they don’t know what to do, they’ve tried everything, it’s just not working – we’re not going to write those people tickets. That’s not right, they’re actually trying to fix the problem,” Walter Ostrenga, the town’s chief of police, told TODAY Moms.

Nearly one-third of all school-aged children are bullied each year, according to the National Bullying Prevention Center.
“It’s the ones where you go knocking on the door and they say, ‘Hey, my kid’s perfect, you have no reason to come here,’ and slam the door in your face and they’re totally uncooperative. Those are the ones we’re trying to make an impact on.”

The ordinance covers cyberbullying, Ostrenga said, adding he’s heard nothing but positive comments about the new rule, which was adopted last month. No specific incident prompted the town to take action, he noted, calling bullying a “global issue.”

Hertzog said it’s too early to tell whether other communities might want to follow suit. She sees education as more of the trend in the battle against bullying, rather than financial penalties, and wondered whether a fine would have an effect.

“I think parents should be held accountable for their child’s actions, but I also think that in doing so, they need some education and resources about how they can help their child,” Hertzog told TODAY Moms.

“For so long, we were just looking at our schools as being responsible for this, but now we understand that it’s about community working together: it’s the schools, it’s the parents, it’s the law enforcement.”

One of the most frequently downloaded handouts on the website of the National Bullying Prevention Center is titled, “What if my child is the bully?” Hertzog said.

 

[kathy88]

FFS

 

[Cleaner44]

Isn't bullying just another form of enhanced interrogation? Why stifle these future government workers when they are showing the initiative that will make them tomorrow's leaders? Bullies are doing their best to protect and serve the shit out of their classmates and now some busybody mom wants to jeopardise their future career's by outlawing them? If a bully really must be punished, it seems like sending them home for a week with straight As would be the more sensible idea.

 

[moostraks]

“For so long, we were just looking at our schools as being responsible for this, but now we understand that it’s about community working together: it’s the schools, it’s the parents, it’s the law enforcement.”

One of the most frequently downloaded handouts on the website of the National Bullying Prevention Center is titled, “What if my child is the bully?” Hertzog said.

More it takes a village crap espoused by those who seek to control everyone. Wonder how long before downloading that info becomes evidence of guilt? Does the state see any irony in how they are the biggest bullies with their constant threats of violence all while emasculating the general public under the guise of providing a public service?

 

[bunklocoempire]

(^^ love hearing all the other folks that "get it" ^^)

Sticks and stones may break my bones but if I feel offended or threatened I'll get a group to threaten or hurt you because I can't be encouraged to defend myself...

This "community help" to curb bullying will only drive the issue underground and make it worse. Bullying is the nature of man and our natural rights observed on paper 200 + years ago have already dealt with the issue.

Another 'reach around' "solution".

 

[asurfaholic]

I don't believe that 1/3 of all school aged children are bullied.

That's a pile of crap.

 

[ronpaulfollower999]

I don't believe that 1/3 of all school aged children are bullied.

That's a pile of crap.

The number is probably higher.

 

[jdmyprez_deo_vindice]

I don't believe that 1/3 of all school aged children are bullied.

That's a pile of crap.

It helps when you have a very loose definition of bullying.

 

[Eagles' Wings]

Isn't bullying just another form of enhanced interrogation? Why stifle these future government workers when they are showing the initiative that will make them tomorrow's leaders? Bullies are doing their best to protect and serve the shit out of their classmates and now some busybody mom wants to jeopardise their future career's by outlawing them? If a bully really must be punished, it seems like sending them home for a week with straight As would be the more sensible idea.

lol - love the wit

 

[ronpaulfollower999]

I've noticed most parents of bullies are crappy parents anyway.

Of course, I'm talking about real bullying, not self defense.

 

[RonPaulFanInGA]

Seems like decent incentive for parents to get their little darlings to shape up.

 

[affa]

I don't believe that 1/3 of all school aged children are bullied.

That's a pile of crap.

based on my experience in school, i'd say it's more like 4/5 if you include everyone over the 12 years of public schooling. some of it brutal, some of it not -- everything from endless taunting to physical abuse.

it's great that you went to a school where stuff like this apparently wasn't prevalent... but I can tell you straight up bullying can be pretty rough. i wasn't bullied all that much, but some of my friends definitely were. my younger sister, who is quite a bit younger than me and grew up in the internet age (and a very different school district), was the subject of a fairly severe case of internet bullying for awhile.

So.... yea. Bullying is a problem. I am not saying this is the solution, however. But I don't think it's the time to ridicule the 'village' notion, because school bullying is very much a case where teacher/parental supervision should be keeping an eye out, because a lot of the kids simply aren't capable (physically/mentally) of defending themselves. if you look like you're two grades younger than you are, or if you stick out for some physical reason, or act too smart, or if you're the wrong color... it can be really rough going.

i'm not even claiming to be innocent of it. i remember one girl from my school named 'horse face'. i don't remember her real name. i don't know if i ever called her that myself, but... like i said, i went to school with her for 12 years and that's the only name i can remember people calling her. that's terrible. that's abusive. not to mention the ancillary issues, like people avoiding being friends w/ her because they don't want to get subjected to overflow abuse.

 

[Eagles' Wings]

Seems like decent incentive for parents to get their little darlings to shape up.

It is a full-time job these days - and we have good kids. I tell them, one stupid word or jesture to someone could get you in big trouble so watch your mouth at all times. Never let your guard down, be alert to what is around you and make good decisions.

I tell you - the public schools feel like a war zone to us. Almost done.

 

[Eagles' Wings]

@affa - plus rep for a very thoughtful post, thank you

 

[bunklocoempire]

Seems like decent incentive for parents to get their little darlings to shape up.

Legislating morality no?

I'd much rather see the "victim" defend themselves rather than trying to change the morality of a group. (victim in quotes because bullying seems to be all over the map -I don't deny the worst of it)

 

[RonPaulFanInGA]

Legislating morality no?

We're at the point where stuff against unprovoked verbal and physical abuse is "legislating morality"? Do you simply parrot that line without thinking?

 

[kcchiefs6465]

We're at the point where stuff against unprovoked verbal and physical abuse is "legislating morality"? Do you simply parrot that line without thinking?

The parents were bullying the children?

I wonder if the state will also get involved if upon receiving one of these fines, a parent grabs a switch from a tree and whips the piss out of their child?

What an age we live in.

 

[moostraks]

The parents were bullying the children?

I wonder if the state will also get involved if upon receiving one of these fines, a parent grabs a switch from a tree and whips the piss out of their child?

What an age we live in.

Reminds me of when daughter's guardian ad litem told us she needed to be taken out behind the woodshed. We just rolled our eyes at him after all the hell social services was putting us through at his behest. No, they will not be pleased if the parent takes up paddling them. They, however, have no problem putting them in a cage and demanding they sleep with no mats or bedding. Yeah, try that one at home.

 

[Dr.3D]

So what do they expect the parent to do about it? I suppose the parent is expected to give little "Johnnie bully" a time out? Doubt these people would want the parents to paddle the little brat.

 

[Anti Federalist]

“There’s a lot of discretion here. If we go to someone’s house and the parents are just at wit’s end, they don’t know what to do, they’ve tried everything, it’s just not working – we’re not going to write those people tickets. That’s not right, they’re actually trying to fix the problem,” Walter Ostrenga, the town’s chief of police, told TODAY Moms.

No, you'll send SWAT and CPS and take them.