Bullied Girl With Cerebral Palsy Speaks Out

What an awesome dad- he was just protecting his daughter. It's disgusting that kids pick on any child - but someone who has to endure more than the average b/c of her condition...those kids really need to be taught a lesson! Those acts were beyond mean and I can really see how she would be frightened. Bullying has gone too far- it's time the school districts quit looking the other way...Wait till these kids grow up- some will reach adulthood and continue to act this way. Where did they go wrong??

How does this gentleman get arrested for trying to protect his girl while those barbarians on the bus repeatedly engaged in verbal and physical abuse????? Glad to see that everyone (but the law apparently) knows who is in the wrong here....

He is a stand up father, and those of you with those rude, loser children? You LOSE as parents.

I voted you up by accident hahahha

Having beaten up on a bus as a child you will find out quick that if you “tattle” you will get beaten up even more since the punishment is to small for the crime. The bus driver can not enforce the rules while he is driving and has the saftey of all the children to worry about. The best option: DON’T DROP YOUR KIDS OFF AT SCHOOL IF YOU THEY COME HOME GETTING BEAT UP ON A DAILY BASIS!! HOME SCHOOL AND DEVELOP YOUR OWN PROGRAM WITH OTHERS IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD 

This is all grand -- cheering on the dad and expressing support for the daughter. But the man was charged $2,000 bail and by the time this is all over, there will be more dollars. Maybe we should all chip in $10 to help him. I'm sure there is someone at NBC's Today Show who would forward mail to him.
I'd like to know if anyone has hauled the parents of the bullies into the TV studio to have them explain how they feel about their kids!

I am with you... bless your heart, it is not because they were kids that you will just lift your shoulder and tell your kid to suck it up! we can't do that! we are parents like you all who punished the father who's caring for his daugther's safety, children should be suspended for being bullies, so they can understand to be human! parents of bullies, dicipline your bully child to be nice, to be caring to others feelings and the most important is not be "so showoff!!" r-e-s-p-e-c-t.. that's what they didn't learn! I am the parent, who will not tolerate anything when it comes to my children, while they're at school.. I want them to learn, to be a good person, and most of all... to be safe!

I think this might've posted before I finished - hope not - but read on.

I once stopped a child from bullying another much smaller child whom I did not know in Severn, Maryland (but I could see the incident taking place from a window) and the parent - rather than acknowledge and correct the child themselves - took me to court after encouraging the young man to fabricate a report.

Nonetheless, the child (whom I believe was a wonderful young man with good potential, but bad parenting ) admitted to lying, yet, it did not make a difference as the court process, alone, creates a record that (falsely) makes it appear that the person who steps in to stop such abuse is, somehow, the abuser; though I thought enough to use the opportunity as a teachable moment (as I have always had a heart for children and would like for them all to have an opportunity to grow up well adjusted), so I asked the group of children who had gathered to watch how they would feel if someone much bigger than they are wanted to fight them?

In fact, I asked the smaller child if he was a willing participant and, of course, he said "No"; which is, exactly, what I expected him to say. So, I asked the other child why he'd want to fight someone who, clearly, was much smaller and did not want to fight him. I, then, asked if anyone thought it was fair, just before the kid - much bigger than even myself - decided to take a swing at me. So, I blocked his punch and pushed him back at which time he fell to the ground, jumped up, and ran.

To make a long story short, he went to a friend's house and called the police, telling the officer that I'd beaten him with a stick. So, when the officer arrived at my door with the outrageous story, I said, "Now officer, you have him in your car. You brought him over here. Does he look like he's been beaten with a stick?"

The officer, then, turned and looked back - and with not another word - returned to his vehicle; had a talk with the young man who admitted to lying, and didn't even make a report. Aside from the court's record of the type of case, which (at first glance) implies a totally different scenario, there wouldn't be anything left to talk about. Yet, I have regretted stepping in ever since my ex-husband misrepresented the wording on the court's site as evidence of child abuse. In fact, that could not have been further from the truth; yet, judges "don't read" from what I've heard and my experience tells me it must be true as there appears to be a, clear, lack of discernment coming from the courts.

Moreover, I hadn't even met my ex-husband at the time; so, he wasn't even there. Yet, his word was valued more than the first hand account that only me and the children could provide AND the officer who never made a report. Even so, the truth does not seem to matter these days.

Unfortunately, our court system is bent on extracting what funds it can from the citizens of this country and it does not care by what means; therefore, it is as much the problem and is just as out of control as the bullies are and usually children that bully are the product of parents that do the same.

Nonetheless, I do support this Dad and wouldn't expect anything less of a loving parent and it's about time the courts stop enabling these bullies and, in fact, encouraging them to think they can harass and abuse others, to the point of suicide, without consequences.

This guy should never had been arrested and should not have had to pay the courts anything, including bail money - in this case, I'd say that's extortion - as profanity is freedom of speech, from what I hear, though I know it to be an unacceptable excuse, in this case, let the same rules that protect those who use such language to insult and harass others be applied to those who use it to defend innocent victims of abuse and return this Dad's money.

In the meantime, talk to your children. I saw an article regarding cyber bullying and turned, immediately, and asked my twelve and fourteen year old - this weekend - if they'd had such an experience. It is our jobs as parents and decent human beings to protect not only our own, but any child in need. I believe that and I walk as I talk.

Hiring a lawyer will result in one winner; the lawyer. I love this dad. He should not have to apologize, but should receive plenty of apologies from the school to the bullying children's parents.

Amen!!! We are the tax payers that pay the salaries of all these people who seem to have no control over these bullies. Where is the authority and protection for this child that we the tax payers have paid for? You mean to tell me that all this was going on on this bus and the driver never saw a thing? But boy he damn sure knew when one hot headed dad jumped on board huh? They will charge this man criminally for "interfering with the educational process" yet what punishment are these kids getting? Harassing this poor little girl does not interfere with her rights? And what about the parents of these kids? Are we parents not supposed to be responsible for our children? Who did this bus driver ever notify of what was happening t this child? Isn't he supposed to be responsible for the safety of each of these children on this bus? What? Should we wait till this little girl took her life like to many others before people wake up to this? Your right, this Dad is a hero, not just for his daughter but God Bless him for however many other children's lives he may have just saved by doing what he did. Way to go Dad!!!!

I absolutely agree with you! I also have something to add: The father was video taped. It went public. What about the the incidents that went on with his daughter??? Where are the tapes of the abuse, and the lack of defense for his daughter while she was being abused? If the reason is because of their age, I think that gives more power to these young people to grow up with the false sense that their actions are acceptable, therefore when thay grow up-why would they want to change being bullies? Perhaps the father went a bit overboard with expletive language, but he was right on the money to instill some fear into these children that obviously have been getting away with it for some time, with who knows how many other victims.
The bus ride sounds like what I had dealt with at about the same age. Total chaos, & much of the same bullying toward myself and others, for no good reason. I wish someone would have been there for myself and all the other victims. My prayers go out to this family, the father who made the right choice, & to the abusers,who need someone to wake them up, & imagine themselves on the opposite end of the situation. If they want compasion, they must learn to be compassionate. Doing some community service might wake them up too! The children shouldn't be let off the hook easily.

He should not be punished at all for standing up for his daughter. There are times that "Good" violence is needed to combat "Bad" violence. I applaud Mr. Jones and pray that the charges are dropped and that an apology by the School and city given to Mr Jones and his family in public. Then those kids who harassed that poor girl need to be charged for verbal and physical assult and serve time in jail.

This father should not be punished at ALL....he should be applauded and get to speak first hand with all parents of the kids involved, the negligent bus driver, the school board, and local authorities in a public forum. The....those bullying children should be punished in the same manner they treated this young woman.
Shame on ANYONE who would condone this type of bullying!!!!!

This father would not HAVE to apologize at all if (1) the bus driver had done his job in controlling the kids on his bus, (2) the school would have a no-tolerance policy against bullying, with severe consequences for those who participate in such horrible behavior, and (3) MOST IMPORTANTLY ... if parents would teach their kids from the get-go to be kind, respectful, and thoughtful of one another!

I'm so sick of hearing of this kind of behavior! Kids are so cruel to each other! And to those parents who blow it off by saying "kids will be kids" ... YOU are where these kinds of problems begin!

I love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!