ARTICLE: 5yo Amputee Bullied Off the Bus

[stonecutter]

Bullies force 5-year-old off school bus
Frustrated dad ready to sue school division

Last Updated: Tuesday, May 11, 2010 | 8:18 PM CT

Ryan used to take the school bus from his home in Willow Bunch, Sask., to his junior kindergarten in Assiniboia, about 40 kilometres away.

But bullying and taunting on the bus have made that ride, which takes about half an hour on the bus, impossible.

"A lot of kids beat me up. Lots of big kids," Ryan said.

Kids on the bus have stolen Ryan's backpack, Coomber said, and one student tried to pull off his prosthetic leg.

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[stonecutter]

Other than the bullying... what do you guys think is one of the biggest issues in this story?

[ann-]

I am quite horrified Stonecutter. Don't they have supervisors on these buses.

Irrespective of whether the little boy is an amputee, I think 'five years old' is very young to be travelling on a school bus for an hour alone, on the same bus as teenagers. I remember being a teenager, LOL, so know how it gets. Sounds like things are done differently your side of the water, but still think five is young, any five year old is very vulnerable ... don't think I would have let my children do such a journey alone at that age.

[allenuk]

Well, from the UK we'd probably pick on the facts that a) he's so young, and b) it's such a long distance, but given that the world is as it is, the very least that anyone could demand is a large supervisor riding the bus at all times, big enough and tough enough to scare the crap out of the bullies (at the very least). (Or would that infringe the little darlings' human rights?)


Allen.

[ann58]

What about his 7yo sister? Does she ever have the same trouble that little brother does...is he doing something to agitate the older boys. If he just sits there and rides the bus, the other boys should not be allowed to ride. Personally I would take it as high up as possible....this is really terrible.

This would not be tolerated here!!

[headoncollider]

Ok I know this is a very old post, but I was sickened to think this would happen, CONTINUALLY!
First and foremost (to me) is the fact that it happened repeatedly. That tells me that the offenders are A PRODUCT OF THEIR ENVIRONMENT!
1. It occured on more than one occassion - and no one stopped it.
2. There were a bus full of kids, and none of them informed anyone after the first incident.
3. The driver (aparrently) did nothing.

So what are these kids being taught in the way of human rights, accountability and respect? NOTHING!
Just one example of the mindset of these kids = Product of their environment!

[stinker373]

If any of us touches another person in a violent way, we get charged with assult. That boy is a teenager and they can be charged and he should be charged. If teens can be charged with murder then he can be charged with taunting and assult. Let him learn the hard way. Someone is to blame for this even being allowed to esculate to that level. The school board is responsible and in charge of the kids from the time they get on that bus and responsible for there safty and the life of each child....If you are not familar with the BOYS IN RED. Google them and read about friends of mine. The whole basket ball team was on a school tournie out of town.