Teen Punished for Stopping a Knife-Wielding Bully From Attacking a Student

Rain

http://news.yahoo.com/teen-punished-stopping-knife-wielding-bully-attacking-student-231000145.html Briar MacLean made a split-second decision at school last week. Sitting in class in Calgary, he heard some students start to bully another student. Briar told Canada’s National Post that he saw one boy put another boy in a headlock. Then Briar, who attends Sir John A. Macdonald Junior High School, heard the flick of a knife. He wasn’t trying to play a hero when he pushed the knife-wielding bully away from his classmate. But school officials accused him of exactly that. His mother, Leah O’Donnell, said that the school’s vice-principal told her that the school doesn’t “condone heroics” and a teacher should always be called in such situations. Briar was reprimanded for helping out his fellow student. The bully was suspended and the police were called. Some bullying experts say that the school should be commending—not punishing—Briar for his actions. “By reprimanding Briar, the administration is demonstrating to bullies that students who intervene will be reprimanded,” Richard Brenner, author of 101 Tips for Targets of Workplace Bullies, told TakePart. “This can only encourage bullies.” Brenner said the school appears to have its own problems since it was possible for “a bully to engage a target with a teacher in the room.” He added, “This administration is sorely in need of some education about bullying policy.” Areva Martin, a lawyer, is the founder and president of Special Needs Network, Inc., a Los Angeles-based organization created specifically to raise awareness of issues that impact individuals with autism and related disabilities. She says that as many as two-thirds of a classroom may be bullied. So what should kids do if they are confronted with a similar situation to Briar’s? The federal website Stop Bullying states, “There are a few simple, safe ways children can help the person being bullied get away from the situation. However they do it, make sure the child knows not to put themselves in harm’s way.” It recommends that a child create a distraction. “If no one is rewarding the child who is bullying by paying attention, the behavior may stop,” the website states. “Bystanders can help to focus the attention on something else.” The website also adds, “Remind children to intervene only if it feels safe to do so, and never use violence in order to help the person get away.” In Briar’s case, he may have felt like he had one option—to step into the situation. When we encourage others to advocate for those in need, we in effect ostracize those that bully. “Was it the safest option? Perhaps not,” said Patti Criswell LMSW, a clinical social worker and instructor at Western Michigan University. However, in these instances, she said, “We don’t always have time to think. I think he’s a hero because his decision was to take action to help someone in trouble. How can anyone discourage that?” Martin said that children like Briar need to feel empowered and taught about bullying. She recommends teaching and reteaching the difference between telling and tattling, starting in preschool and in every grade afterwards. “We need to empower kids to stand up for themselves by setting boundaries without being mean and to stand up for others,” she said. “When we encourage others to advocate for those in need, we in effect ostracize those that bully. When this is achieved, relational aggression plummets.”

phobicsquirrel

This isn't a easy one that's for sure. On one hand if the kid had been stabbed it would have been bad, very bad. On the other he did help another kid. But the problem is should the school say anything? Sure good job or you probably shouldn't have done that but to do this is a bit over the top. I love how teachers are now expected to stop this kind of stuff, like this is what they signed up for. I never had these kinds of things at my schools however my dad who grew up in the Bronx in the 50's and 60's has tones of stories about gangs and knife fights.

Rain

I look at this as lose lose. You can't punish him for trying to help someone else, but if he had been hurt I could see his parents trying to sue the school.

phobicsquirrel

Rain:

I look at this as lose lose. You can't punish him for trying to help someone else, but if he had been hurt I could see his parents trying to sue the school.

yup. I heard about a wells fargo or was it chase that fired a teller because he went after a bank robber and got the money back while subduing the perp. Now I get it, if it had gone badly the bank could have been sued or what have you but hell they had balls. Though wasn't all that smart, I mean he could have been killed or hurt badly over what, banks money?

SleevePlz

"Briar was reprimanded for helping out his fellow student." For the record, the "punishment" was a reprimand. I suppose the principal shouldn't tell adolescents not to engage people with knives. This is an example of the media making a story out of a very minor detail. My favorite part of the story, however, was this: Brenner said the school appears to have its own problems since it was possible for “a bully to engage a target with a teacher in the room.” Really?? Has this expert ever been in any classroom anywhere??

Dark_Roast

These days every kid gets an trophy for just showing up. This kid "truely" deserves a trophy. Just my opinion, nothing more or less.

phobicsquirrel

Dark Roast:

These days every kid gets an trophy for just showing up. This kid "truely" deserves a trophy. Just my opinion, nothing more or less.

lol, no kidding. I can't remember the last time I saw a kid get last place.

bearb

phobicsquirrel:

Dark Roast:

These days every kid gets an trophy for just showing up. This kid "truely" deserves a trophy. Just my opinion, nothing more or less.

lol, no kidding. I can't remember the last time I saw a kid get last place.

///we call it 'succes for all'