The impotence of having your child bullied

I do not tolerate bullying. What my students don't know is that I have watched both of my children bullied. The oldest got very quiet. When we determined what was happening (in middle school) we went to the principal and (to his credit) he put all of the boys in that grade together and told them that if it happened again, they were suspended and if their buddy wasn't in school that day, it didn't matter. That if their buddy did it again, he would be suspended as well. And it stopped.

Second child came along, and the bully was the son of a teacher (smaller than my son). Mine decked hers and ended up suspended, which I understood but told my son it was the appropriate punishment because he took things in his own hands. Same middle school, different principal. When it carried over onto the bus (and video) he finally did something and it stopped.

Did my children become best buddies with their tormentors and life was all hearts and flowers? Hell no. But the bullies crawled back in their holes and left my kids alone.

So now we have the father in Florida. I am thinking there should be video of the boys harassing the girl since there is video of the father. Did he overreact - as I told my son, he can't take matters into his own hands. Should the dad have marched his complaints up the line - yes. He went to the counselor. Did he go to the principal? The Board? Here, his daughter would have an IEP and that means federal protection as well. Would I be screaming for that? You betcha.

Hope the little morons who torment a child with issues not of her choosing go to a special place in hell. At the very least, I hope they get their due.