I'm surprised this hasn't been brought up here yet. What do you think about this story of the sixty-eight year old bus monitor who was bullied by the middle school kids that was captured on video?

http://abcnews.go.com/US/bullied-bus-monitor-karen-klein-accept-apologies/story?id=16634708#.T-bz93DC6I0

Quote :

Bullied Bus Monitor Karen Klein Doesn't Accept Boys' Apologies





By ALYSSA NEWCOMB (@alyssanewcomb) and ALON HARISH
June 23, 2012

A bullied upstate New York bus monitor who got national attention after a video of boys lobbing insults at her went viral said she doesn't accept the boys' apologies, according to media reports.

"I think they can do better," Klein told TMZ.

The 68-year-old grandmother got national attention after a video of middle school boys in Greece, N.Y. was uploaded to Youtube. By Friday afternoon, the campaign had sailed above its $5,000 goal — to over $600,000.

In a twist of events, police said the bullies are now being targeted. One boy received more than 1,000 threatening text messages in one night. Someone even called in saying they took one of the families hostage.

"We had to respond to that as it is almost a barricaded gunman," a police spokesperson told ABC News. "Then we had to set up perimeters and get the house surrounded. And then we had to try to make contact with the people, and they are inside their house and they were fine."

Robert Helms, the father of a 13-year-old boy who was caught on video tormenting Klein, said his family has received death threats.

"You've got to remember. He's a thirteen-year-old kid. It was a stupid mistake and he's paying for it," Helms said.

In the days since the video incited outrage and sympathy in equal measure, two of the four boys in the video have come forward to apologize. In statements released through the Greece Police Department — in which their full names are redacted for their protection— the boys, named Wesley and Josh, expressed shame at their actions.

"I am so sorry for the way I treated you," Josh wrote. "When I saw the video I was disgusted and could not believe I did that. I am sorry for being so mean and I will never treat anyone this way again."

In its first 24 hours the fundraising campaign — on Indiegogo.com, a website that helps advocates raise money for various causes —raised $125,000. From there, the total jumped approximately $15,000, Klein's annual salary as a bus monitor, every three hours. By Friday afternoon, the campaign had sailed above its $5,000 goal — to nearly $550,000.

More than 7,500 signatures have accumulated on a Change.org petition urging President Obama to allow Klein to receive the donations tax-free — even though the money is not taxable.

In the video, the boys relentlessly hurl insults at Klein, especially about her physical appearance. At one point, a boy says that if he stabbed Klein in the stomach, "my knife would go through you like butter because it's all [expletive] lard."

After they repeatedly poked Klein and threatened to "break into her house" and unleash a pit bull on her, one of the boys uploaded the video to YouTube.

During most of the video, Klein is seen attempting to tune the taunts out. But at one point, the grandmother of eight is seen wiping tears from her eyes.

"Are you sweating? Karen, Karen! Are you sweating?" one student asked.

"I'm crying," she replied.

The fundraising campaign will remain open for 27 more days.

She doesn't accept it because they were scripted. They were made to say that shit. I know they're "kids" but I personally wouldn't be satisfied until I see someone take a belt, no...a drop cord....to their asses. I know the taunting was stupid enough, but what really did it for me in the video was when ,after she starting crying, she told them, "if you have nothing nice to say, you shouldn't say it all." Then one of the boys responded, "why don't you just shut the fuck up." That type of disrespect makes your blood boil. I was raised by Southern parents, I would've been fucking skinned alive if my mother or father heard me or even heard about me talking like that to an elderly person and I was a kid.

I don't blame her for not accepting the apologies, the little fuckers should get their asses kicked. This generation of little assholes have no respect for anyone and I blame the parents!!!! If I would have done something like that my father would have beat me to within an inch of my life.

I wouldn't accept their lameass phony apologies either. As far as "death threats" while that kind of thing is wrong in any situation, I'm not sure that's any more real than the apologies. Sounds like a nice attempt to get some sympathy, maybe even try to cash in themselves. Or..maybe it's just some 13 year olds who made a "mistake". Sure the families will understand that. Piss off.

This story is irksome to me. Everyone of those little shits should have been suspended and lost their bus riding privileges indefinitely. Let getting them to and from school become their parents problem. What I am wondering is what the bus driving was doing while this was all happening? He or she should have pulled over and intervened.

A 68 year old woman earning $15,000 a year a probably the only job she could get does not in any way deserve this kind of treatment. But on one thread on another website some people where actually blaming her for not fighting back. There are a lot of jerks in this world.

She did seem to try to deal with the bullying peacefully but I would imagine she was afraid for her life. I don't blame her at all for the way she responded to them.

I think these little shits should be locked up for assault. That is what they were doing to her. Physically as well as verbally. A so-called written apology doesn't even begin to do it. They need some serious punishment and I don't mean being told to write a so-called apology on FaceBook.

I think a more suiting punishment would be not only them losing all bus privileges and having to walk to and from school every day, but I also think they ought to be put in charge of washing every single school bus until they're spotless, and writing 500 times on the blackboard 'I will not harass the bus driver', yeah they can script it 1 time but let's see them try it 500 or see if they break long before that and show how sorry they're really not, or maybe WOULD be after having to actually be punished and face actual consequences for their actions.

Yeah those little dickheads need to be flogged . . . BUT I heard this story has made so many people feel sorry for this woman that something like $200,000 has been raised for her to vacation or retire. Sucks she had to put up with that crap on the bus but I get a feeling she aint still cryin over it.

Actually it was a guy who runs a website that raises money to help people in various areas who started the collection for her. It was to send her to Disneyland with her grandkids to help her have a little fun after her ordeal. I saw him being interviewed on the news.

She didn't ask for it but the funds grew and grew as people from all over the world wanted to contribute to her vacation. The website owner said he had never seen anthing like it.

Karen has said she wants to donate a good portion to various charities.

I'd take that money and quit.

These kids assualted the woman as soon as they"poked" her. Isn't this a criminal act? Why would they not be hauled into court for their crime?

I hope it all went on their permanent records.