Calgary Student Reprimanded For Defending Fellow Student Against Knife-Wielding Bully - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Nehkara · 06-02-2013, 05:15 PM

No heroes allowed: Calgary student, 13, reprimanded for defending his classmate against a knife-wielding bully

Quote:

Briar MacLean was sitting in class during a study period Tuesday, the teacher was on the other side of the room and, as Grade 7 bullies are wont to do, one kid started harassing another.

“I was in between two desks and he was poking and prodding the guy,” Briar, 13, said at the kitchen table of his Calgary home Friday.

“He put him in a headlock, and I saw that.”

He added he didn’t see the knife, but “I heard the flick, and I heard them say there was a knife.”

The rest was just instinct. Briar stepped up to defend his classmate, pushing the knife-wielding bully away.

Quote:

Ms. O’Donnell [Briar's Mother] was politely informed the school did not “condone heroics,” she said. Instead, Briar should have found a teacher to handle the situation.

“I asked: ‘In the time it would have taken him to go get a teacher, could that kid’s throat have been slit?’ She said yes, but that’s beside the point. That we ‘don’t condone heroics in this school.’ ”

I am a former student of SJAM and I am rather concerned that this is the stance they would take.

This is the letter the school distributed to parents afterwards.

FlamesAllTheWay · 06-02-2013, 05:36 PM

Situation seems somewhat a product of our take no responsibility/lawsuit culture. School is probably scared the kid gets hurt stepping in and then they get blamed and sued for his injuries.

I would have thanked the kid but reminded him (and the rest of the kids) to always go look for help/teacher if it all possible. Story ended well and for sure good on the kid but I understand if you don't want to encourage this sort of "heroic" behaviour in young children.

Punishing him is totally ridiculous though.

jeffh · 06-02-2013, 05:37 PM

I heard this Briar Maclean is constantly a little trouble maker. I didn't catch how exactly he was reprimanded in the article.

TurnedTheCorner · 06-02-2013, 05:40 PM

Stuff like this kind of makes me hate the internet. I miss the days when every stupid ####ing thing that happens didn't become a news story or debate.

Locke · 06-02-2013, 05:50 PM

This is standard stuff.

"We dont condone it because we're not insured if anything happens to him and we dont want this to be an 'all the time' thing but it worked out this time so its all cool."

School Board policy is like interviewing a hockey player, its all standard boilerplate responses.

moon · 06-02-2013, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeffh

I heard this Briar Maclean is constantly a little trouble maker. I didn't catch how exactly he was reprimanded in the article.

The article said his locker was searched and the letter says two students were suspended. I doubt the kid in a headlock and had a knife pulled on him was suspended but considering the kid who jumped in to stop bullying was suspended who knows what the morons at that school did.

The letter from the school is such condescending BS that it is almost as maddening as the fact they suspended the kid for doing the right thing and something 95% of other kids wouldn't do.

Nehkara · 06-02-2013, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TurnedTheCorner

Stuff like this kind of makes me hate the internet. I miss the days when every stupid ####ing thing that happens didn't become a news story or debate.

...this was in the paper as well.

Kjesse · 06-02-2013, 06:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moon

I doubt the kid in a headlock and had a knife pulled on him was suspended but considering the kid who jumped in to stop bullying was suspended who knows what the morons at that school did.

The letter from the school is such condescending BS that it is almost as maddening as the fact they suspended the kid for doing the right thing and something 95% of other kids wouldn't do.

If you read the letter, which you suggest you did, the Principal states the intervenor was not disciplined. And neither the newspaper article, nor the letter, states the intervenor was suspended. As such where do you get "the fact they suspended the kid for doing the right thing"?

TurnedTheCorner · 06-02-2013, 06:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nehkara

...this was in the paper as well.

Without the internet, I'd never have heard of it though.

undercoverbrother · 06-02-2013, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TurnedTheCorner

Without the internet, I'd never have heard of it though.

So stay off the internet.......???......

Locke · 06-02-2013, 06:51 PM

I dont see how the internet can take the blame for this one...

jayswin · 06-02-2013, 06:59 PM

TurnedtheCorner is nearing irrational Stampede hatred in this thread.

Locke · 06-02-2013, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flameswin

TurnedtheCorner is nearing irrational Stampede hatred in this thread.

Has he been to the Stampede yet? Or is that a loaded question?

moon · 06-03-2013, 08:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Delgar

If you read the letter, which you suggest you did, the Principal states the intervenor was not disciplined. And neither the newspaper article, nor the letter, states the intervenor was suspended. As such where do you get "the fact they suspended the kid for doing the right thing"?

As I said in my post the letter states that two students were suspended.

So if the kid that stepped in wasn't suspended that means they suspended the kid that was getting bullied? Makes sense.

Vulcan · 06-03-2013, 08:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moon

As I said in my post the letter states that two students were suspended.

So if the kid that stepped in wasn't suspended that means they suspended the kid that was getting bullied? Makes sense.

That's the way it was in my day, except we got the strap.

troutman · 06-03-2013, 09:01 AM

Ottawa to launch national anti-bullying program

http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/06...bleys-suicide/

valo403 · 06-03-2013, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moon

As I said in my post the letter states that two students were suspended.

So if the kid that stepped in wasn't suspended that means they suspended the kid that was getting bullied? Makes sense.

Because you know the full story, right? We have no idea what lead to the incident.

As for your original complaint:

Quote:

The student who reportedly intervened was asked to
remain in the office to explain what happened but was in no way disciplined.

Couldn't be made any more clear.

Russic · 06-03-2013, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moon

As I said in my post the letter states that two students were suspended.

So if the kid that stepped in wasn't suspended that means they suspended the kid that was getting bullied? Makes sense.

I don't think it was at all stated that anybody was getting bullied. Based off the limited information, it sounds like a fight. Fights are grounds for automatic suspensions.

The journalism on this was a hack-job. After reading the article the first time something struck me as very odd as the only point of view was that of the mother. As a parent myself I can confirm we are probably the most biased things on the planet.

moon · 06-03-2013, 09:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by valo403

Because you know the full story, right? We have no idea what lead to the incident.

Couldn't be made any more clear.

Well his locker was searched which could be looked as being disciplined so yes it could be more clear.

moon · 06-03-2013, 09:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russic

I don't think it was at all stated that anybody was getting bullied. Based off the limited information, it sounds like a fight. Fights are grounds for automatic suspensions.

The journalism on this was a hack-job. After reading the article the first time something struck me as very odd as the only point of view was that of the mother. As a parent myself I can confirm we are probably the most biased things on the planet.

The first line of the article says the kid was getting bullied and harrassed.