Punishing the victim or avoiding a problem?

Marp2 · ‎01-31-2012

A mother and her 9-year-old son say school officials won't let him bring a My Little Pony bag to school. The boy and his mother say he's getting shoved around because bullies think his pick of a favorite toy is for girls. It's a decades-old kids show where pony characters emphasize the bonds of friendship.

It's become anything but friendship for 9-year-old Grayson Bruce. Grayson Bruce, My Little Pony fan, "they're taking it a little too far, with punching me, pushing me down, calling me horrible names, stuff that really shouldn't happen."

Grayson picked a Rainbow Dash bag out this year, which he says has intensified the attacks against him. Grayson, "most of the characters in the show are girls, and most of the people put it toward girls, most of the toys are girlie, and surprisingly I found stuff like this."

Grayson has developed a following on Facebook after a friend made a support page for him. Grayson stands by his favorite cartoon and the message he says it sends. His mother says, why not? Noreen Bruce, Grayson's mom, "it's promoting friendship, there's no bad words, there's no violence, it's hard to find that, even in cartoons now."

But Noreen says Thursday the school asked him to leave the bag at home because it had become a distraction and was a "trigger for bullying."

Read More at: http://wlos.com/shared/news/features/top-stories/stories/wlos_-school-bully-concerns-15463.shtml

PurpleBunny · ‎03-09-2010

Now the school is bullying. Anyone that attacks a kid over his choice of cartoon character needs immediate attention and correction. The backpack isn't the problem. What's next? Some kid doesn't like little girls wearing blue?

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serenity4ever · ‎11-04-2013

Pathetic!! All that school did was give in to the bullies and instead punishing the recipient of their taunts further by making him choose another schoolbag.

Preds · ‎12-17-2012

The school needs to learn a lesson.

Fate whispers to her, "You cannot withstand the storm." She whispers back, "I am the storm."

occasionalrain · ‎03-10-2010

The school administrators should use this as an opportunity to make it clear to the bullies that their behavior will not be tolerated.

Lion · ‎03-09-2010

I hope that school gets tons of negative reaction. What a stupid way to deal with bullies.

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"The truth is like a lion. You don't have to defend it. Let it loose. It will defend itself."
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Catitude · ‎01-09-2014

Kids can be so mean, cruel, hateful, prejudice and homophobic! Such little darlings.

betteb · ‎03-09-2010

On 3/11/2014 serenity4ever said:
Pathetic!! All that school did was give in to the bullies and instead punishing the recipient of their taunts further by making him choose another schoolbag. ${#emotions_dlg.sad}$

I agree. The problem is not new. Schools have always tried to settle things taking the path of least resistance, no matter the cost to the real victim.

It's God's job to judge the terrorists. It's our mission to arrange the meeting. U.S. Marines

SydneyH · ‎03-10-2010

I actually think the school had no choice but to 'request' that the student leave the item at home, but the offenders should be subjected to whatever disciplinary action that is currently on their books.

Lila Belle · ‎01-24-2013

Were the other children punished ?

Jmo, but he seems to be inviting the trouble. Should he be taunted and pushed around ? No, he shouldn't but I think the school has given them good advice. He has become the distraction now and the Facebook page isn't helping his cause either.