Teen faces expulsion after brining stun-gun to school to fend off bullies

[Athinira]

Your personal attacks on me really help make your case, not.

I didn't grow up in heaven, nor was I home schooled. I grew up in a tough part of town where I went to a public school that was one of the first in the city to have to actually introduce a "no weapons policy" while other schools student polices related to how much perfume they could wear.

And yes, pulling a weapon against an unarmed opponent for calling you names is most definately cowardly.

The weapon in question is less dangerous than physical (fist) attacks, and the group was 6 versus 1.

And it wasn't verbal abuse. They cornered him. Him having been driven to use a stun gun suggests that the bullying has extended beyond verbal (maybe not directly violent, but pushy is enough). And even if they haven't assaulted him violently before, that gives him no reason to believe that they aren't gonna step up their game.

Pulling a weapon in a situation where you are massively outnumbered (and likely also inferior in physical strength) is not cowardly in any way. He obviously isn't Bruce Lee, and school bullies have a tendency to pick on those smaller than themself, not bigger.

 

[Heronblade]

Nonsense, more places have a criminal offense for criminal threatening. There are also court injunctions possible for serious threats. Officers don't have to witness a crime (in fact they rarely do) in order to investigage a report and press charges.

Given the school's reluctance to interfere, a stun gun that is used solely for intimidation is an appropriate response.

Yes, responding to verbal abuse with an illegal weapon makes perfect sense. So now that the bullies have been threatened with a weapon, its obvious THEY should bring bigger and better weapons to confront him next time, right?

The simple fact of the matter is that bullies of this type are not prosecuted and not investigated, in many case even long after their verbal abuse turns physical. I don't care where you happen to think the problem in the system is, just be aware that there is indeed an issue preventing the cops from being of any use whatsoever.

In any case, there is a massive difference in arming oneself to defend oneself or others, (particularly when the "weapon" in question is harmless, and you are hopelessly outmatched without it) and arming oneself to pick on the defenseless. The former depending on the specific circumstances is laudable, at least in my opinion. The latter is despicable, and can and will lead to massive retribution.

 

[Athinira]

If you have taken self defense training you would understand that it isn't about learning how to hit people. However, push comes to shove, yes, I'd rather see people use fists than weapons. Less dead kids that way.

Because all weapons are created equally )

Hint: A civilian stun-gun is LESS deadly and damaging than physical violence. Fists are weapons too. In addition, physical violence is useless in a situation where you are outnumbered and outmuscled - unless your name is Bruce Lee - and even if it wasn't, it requires a HEAVY commitment, one that you really shouldn't be forced into just to escape bullying.

A non-lethal weapon like the one he used is not only an easier, more elegant, more practical and more efficient solution, it's also less damaging in case he actually HAS to use it.

 

[GistoftheFist]

Well I wanted to respond to everyone, but after post 14 or something like that I got really bored.

There is however a common theme, many of you who responded self identified as being bullied and not knowing how to deal with it when you were kids. You are defending him not because he was right, which he wasn't, but because you don't want to be wrong and to think your own conduct might have made things easier for the bullies.

You should look at the post I made in regards to most of your statements, kinda trumps the arguments you've been making.

 

[Athinira]

I notice someoen earlier in this thread pointed out some technical info indicating that a civ stun gun is more deadly than the capture stun guns used police that people on this board often get all upset about.

Incorrect. If you look around on the internet, you will see that all stun-gun related deaths are from police-grade tasers used by police and other governmental bodies (and sometimes private security), not civilian tasers. In addition, those deaths typically result from excessive use of the tasers (being tased by multiple officers at the same time is quite common when police get excited).

I was unable to find a single article or mention of a death by taser caused by a civilian-taser, but articles about police-related taser deaths are everywhere (I'm not saying it hasn't happened, but i see no evidence of it, so if it has happened it is probably an extremely unlikely scenario).

 

[mattttherman3]

I thought it said SHOT gun lol, I was like, only expulsion?

 

[Heronblade]

The moment to call the police was the moment where he decided to proactively violate the law and bring a weapon to school.

To which they would have replied something along the lines of:

"Ok
sure
we'll get right on that
buhbye now, good luck"

Following which they would make a brief report of the incident, maybe call into the school office about it, and then drop the issue entirely.

In fact, from the sound of it, that is exactly what did happen.

They can't help in a case like this, never have been able to help, and most likely never will be. They can't follow every threatened kid around waiting for a bully to make a move, can't afford to take such allegations at face value without supporting testimony, and are severely and deliberately hampered when investigating such an incident afterwards.

I thought it said SHOT gun lol, I was like, only expulsion?

Yeah, even those of us willing to stand up for the victim here would have backed off just a wee bit if that had been the case...

 

[TheDrunkNinja]

Hmmm... Yeah, I got no problem with this. The article has a lot of draw words that sound harsh to generate more sympathy for the kid, but it never mentioned any act of violence being committed against him. Therefore I will assume no such behavior actually happened. Insults and hotair threats in a school environment are bullshit even when people are "surrounding" you, and the sooner he learns that the easier it will be to ignore them. Responding with a weapon makes you the antagonist, and I guess he wasn't ready to take the responsibility of brandishing a weapon on school grounds. Plain and simple.

There's a victim of bullying here, but there's no victim of an "unjust" expulsion.

 

[MetalGenocide]

Beat up gay school kid? NOPE CHUCK TESLA. Sorry had to do it.

Wait, wait, I got another one!

You try to lock me up, I will fucking shock you up.
That wasn't good? Okay, I'll stop now.

The kid did what he had to do.

 

[Dansen]

Oh look what we have here?

Enlightened rational minds blaming the victim for being too weak?

Some people on this site never cease to amaze me.