[ufo2012]

(Original post by Stevo112)
If you were to make bullying a criminal offence then presumably you would expect teachers monitor bullying more closely at the expense of things such as TEACHING

I don't think so, as if a kid felt they could trust the teacher the kid would come and tell anyway, or the teacher would notice it going on. I can remember many teachers that appeared to be blind and deaf sometimes (just generalising) but in most cases I don't think they are.

Maybe sometimes they just don't want to get involved.

Yeah make it a criminal offence, I am getting convinced it is the way forward.

[Stevo112]

(Original post by ufo2012)
I don't think so, as if a kid felt they could trust the teacher the kid would come and tell anyway, or the teacher would notice it going on. I can remember many teachers that appeared to be blind and deaf sometimes (just generalising) but in most cases I don't think they are.

Maybe sometimes they just don't want to get involved.

Yeah make it a criminal offence, I am getting convinced it is the way forward.

The kids DO come and tell the teachers!! And the teachers are very perceptive, believe me!

It is hard for teachers to get too involved. They get paid to teach kids. By getting involved they open all sorts of legal issues because they are professionals. That doesn't mean that they don't try to help though.

[SillyEddy]

There was a news report of where a school made a policy where children could not touch each other. I mean, not even high-five. They would be punished if they even shook hands. That is the crazy side of things. The other crazy side of things is where kids just go crazy and start attacking each other. Neither is cool.


It's a tricky subject. Is it right for the teachers to decide if it's 'beyond the line' or mutual behaviour? A lot of kids will throw insults at other friends just to get insults back. There's a saying from a comic sketch somewhere... A good friend you compliment, but a best friend you can get away with insulting.


And for the students it's difficult. If they grass on someone, despite it being their legal right, they'll end up worse for it.

I believe it is a sufficient criminal offense already, but it's about making sure that teachers know when it's appropriate to pull out that card, and students should know that they can do something about it.

[madders94]

Repeated severe bullying should be criminalized, and if the children aren't of an accountable age, perhaps the blame has to fall on the parents who didn't teach them any better?

[Mequa]

(Original post by madders94)
Repeated severe bullying should be criminalized, and if the children aren't of an accountable age, perhaps the blame has to fall on the parents who didn't teach them any better?

Seconded. (Unfortunately I'm out of rep points.)

Actions which lead to severe emotional distress, intimidation, and in extreme cases even suicide, should not be treated with a slap on the wrist. I don't feel a criminal record is disproportionate. Furthermore, retaliatory bullying of students for "grassing" (and threats of the same) should be taken extremely seriously, as that is nothing less than intimidation. Particularly when this is in a context of mob behaviour of many against one.

When you see the kind of adults many school bullies become after getting away with abuse (emotional and/or physical) on the playground, it makes little sense to see severe punitive measures as "disproportionate". They carry over the attitude that those weaker are put there to be hurt, abused and dominated for personal gratification. After all, lacking consequences, they learn that they can get away with it.

I'd argue that those who enjoy causing severe emotional distress, and get off on it, are the ones likely to object the strongest to the introduction of such measures.

[ufo2012]

In a present case, that of schoolgirl Fiona Geraghty who committed suicide, should the bullies be jailed?

[Mequa]

(Original post by ufo2012)
In a present case, that of schoolgirl Fiona Geraghty who committed suicide, should the bullies be jailed?

One could make a case for execution (if you support the death penalty), provided guilt of involvement in her bullying can be 100% proven.

Failing that - jail time, criminal record, expulsion, why not. Being soft on those who laugh at wrist-slaps makes a mockery of justice, not to mention encouraging them to find someone else to torment, knowing they can pretty much get away with it. They are precisely the kind of people to laugh at "bleeding hearts" for not showing them teeth.

Personally, I could argue for having a penis burned into their foreheads with a branding iron, to show their status as d**kheads to the world - although that would probably fall under "cruel and unusual punishment", so perhaps more orthodox methods would be more suited to their case.

If driving someone to suicide through systematic mental torment doesn't count as "criminal", though, then I don't want to support such a pathetic "justice" system.