Some thoughts before passing judgement

Pinellas County, Florida

"School Bus Driver Stood by During Beating," screams the headline.  A 13-year old boy is savagely attacked on the bus by three older boys, right behind the bus driver.  They kick and punch as the driver, calling dispatch on his radio, stands by and watches helplessly.  The victim ended up with two black eyes and a broken arm.

The driver, John Moody, is 64 years old.  He followed his district's policy by radioing dispatch.  Policy says he can then intervene, if he felt safe.  Three very violent teens against a 64-year old man?  I wouldn't feel safe.

It is easy to sit in the comfort of our homes and judge a man entrusted to get kids to and from school safely.  We didn't have to face Grossman's "ultimate phobia", interpersonal violence.  I was an Infantry Drill Sergeant in the US Army.  I taught basic hand-to-hand combat to soldiers.  Yet even I would pause at taking on three young thugs.  In my prime, I wouldn't have hesitated.  I was secure in my abilities, and in my physical prowess.  Not so much now.

Nearing 50, I have had multiple abdominal surgeries for Crohn's Disease leaving me with little muscle left, and only thin nylon mesh keeping my innards from spilling out.  I have an aortic aneurysm that inches closer to popping every month.  A solid blow to my chest may rupture it, killing me.  My spine, after years of helmets, rucksacks and lots and lots of abuse, is failing.  I've already had one fusion surgery.  More is in my future as I have deteriorating disk disease and osteo-arthritis.  My spirit is very willing, but my flesh is weak, and getting weaker year by year.

If I were driving the bus, what would I have done?  I wouldn't have taken three young men on.  Maybe I would have thrown myself over the victim and tried to absorb the punishment meant for him, and possibly have died in the process.  Who then would care for the rest of the children on the bus?

What is the solution?  I would rather address this issue before it gets to the life-or-death decision point.  There is training that can be provided so that adults can recognize impending violence.  Early intervention can possibly prevent an assault.  As they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

In May of 2014, Staying Alive, a book I co-authored with the Safe Havens, International team, can provide you with the means of being able to see the signs of impending violence, and possibly head off assaults before they occur.

There were two victims in this tragic story.  The boy with the physical and emotional injuries from his savage beating, and the driver, who watched, helpless, as the boy for who he was responsible was injured before his very eyes.  He suffers symptoms of PTSD, and retired from driving two weeks after the assault.

Before you judge Moody, obtain a CDL, become a driver of a school bus, and become responsible for up to 75 children in a metal tube that travels on the road at speeds of up to 55mph.  Then tell me what experience you have had in confronting personal aggression.  Then, I might listen to your judgement.

Maybe.

Parents: Bullying Sent Teen to Hospital

Ellettsville, IN
Two parents in Ellettsville are upset over an attack in Ellettsville Middle School that hospitalized a 13-year old girl after a beating.  They claim the incident is a symptom of a larger bullying problem that is not being addressed.

“(My daughter) would go to the bathroom and beg me to take her out of school. The girls would knock the books out of her arms as she walked down the hallway. They would call her fat,” said Collins, one of the parents.

Safe Havens, International

Violence against Bishop McDevitt Students Reported

Harrisburg PA
Three separate incidents of violence involving Bishop McDevitt students occurred in a 24-hour period, according to police.

A 15-year-old student was beaten and robbed as he left school on Tuesday. Three men wearing hoodies punched and kicked him and took his cellphone, police said.

The student is OK and back in school, but still very shaken up after what happened Tuesday, school officials said.

On Wednesday morning, a group shot at students and a school bus with a BB or pellet gun. No one was hurt in the incident.

The principal is increasing security and asking students not to walk alone and to move parking to the rear of the school.

Safe Havens, International

Violence on a School Bus

Indianapolis, IN
A brutal beating happened on a Franklin Township Community School bus. The violent footage has now gone viral.


YouTube

Teachers Attacked by Students Show Signs of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Chicago, IL
Six years ago, Norma Brown, a Chicago Public Schools teacher for more than 30 years, took a stand against a fourth-grader who refused to remove his baseball hat in the school's lunchroom.

A fight ensued. A group of 11- and 12-year-olds surrounded Brown, yelling and cursing. One cocked his fist and punched her squarely in the left eye. Brown stumbled for the door and two girls, a sixth-grader and an eighth-grader, began punching and kicking her. She fought to remain standing.
"I knew that if I fell to the ground they would stomp on me," she said recently. "When you fall, you're dead meat."

What happened to Brown may be extreme, but police records show reports of violent attacks against teachers and school staff have risen sharply in Illinois over the past decade. As doctors and psychologists work to return these assault victims to the classrooms, there is growing acceptance that they may suffer more than physical injuries.

Teens Arrested for Baseball Bat Beating

Anderson, IN
Two teenagers are facing attempted murder charges after a 15-year-old was badly beaten with a baseball bat Wednesday in Anderson.

Anderson Police arrested 18-year-old Donavan W. Ball, of Anderson, and a 17-year-old from Chicago. Both face a preliminary charge of attempted murder, a Class A felony.

The 15-year-old boy was attacked in the 600 block of East 22nd Street, according to police. He had extensive head injuries but was able to tell officers details about his attackers.

Investigators found Ball and the 17-year-old later than night in the 1000 block of Indiana Avenue in Anderson. Police say both the teens resisted arrest but were taken into custody.

Police officials said Friday the 15-year-old has multiple skull fractures and brain trauma — injuries considered to be life-threatening. He’s at St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis.