The Parents who GET IT! YAY!

[Bill Mattocks]

You have to read this, it will brighten your day. Just a few excerpts below, please click the link to read the entire story:

Somebody punched my kid? I didn’t blame the school

Son No. 2 arrived with a different challenge. In elementary school, you could barely find him down there at the bottom of the growth charts.

Fortunately, Drew fell in love with the “Karate Kid” movie, begged to take lessons and faithfully pedaled his little bike to a local dojo every day after school. He earned a black belt at a ridiculously young age.

Like the Karate Kid, Drew learned the rule: “Karate for defense only.” He had to use his tae-kwon-do skills only a couple of times in his school career — once to gain the lasting respect of the toughest kid in his class, another time to escape eight punks who jumped him in the library park, of all places.

...

Twice in his middle school years, kids who thought they were tough sucker-punched Dan from behind — once in a restroom, the second time in a hallway. Both of them immediately learned they had picked on the wrong kid. Admittedly, Dan might have strayed a little beyond self-defense in correcting those situations.

After the second incident, an assistant principal warned me that Dan could be starting down a road to delinquency. I told him I wasn’t worried. I didn’t tell him I was little bit proud.

My boy opened a can on the school bully? Excuse me while I dance a little jig.

...

Not every kid comes blessed with the physical means to defend himself or herself. We’re lucky that Drew found karate on his own. But I’d tell any parent that a responsible martial arts instructor can do wonders for a child’s self-confidence and safety.

...

It never entered my mind to blame the school because two thugs punched Dan on its grounds. I blame those boys and possibly their parents.

 

[Blade96]

I know now that the bullies who persecuted me when i was in school were not ma students. If I had known then what I know now...

if anyone tries to hurt me now I'd shove my foot so far up their *** they'd be feeling my toes til 2014. and to hell with people who punish me for protecting myself.

that happened to me in school too. I'd try and defend myself and I was the one who got punished.

I'm proud of these kids.

 

[grydth]

Thanks, Bill...... well sort of....

I wonder how many will be seduced by the easy "Karate Kid" angle, when the reality based martial artist should learn the lessons of this man and each of his children.

 

[Bill Mattocks]

Thanks, Bill...... well sort of....

I wonder how many will be seduced by the easy "Karate Kid" angle, when the reality based martial artist should learn the lessons of this man and each of his children.

I'd rather they misinterpret than continue to believe that it's the state's duty to protect little Johnny from bullies. I'm so sick of that entitlement mentality that I want to puke every time I hear it.

 

[5-0 Kenpo]

Unlike Drew's father, I do blame the school, at least to some extent.

Let's examine this line from the article:

After the second incident, an assistant principal warned me that Dan could be starting down a road to delinquency.

So, this kid's father gets warned, that because his child is attacked and defends himself, that he is on the road to delinquency.

If it weren't for this mentallity, perhaps students wouldn't be afraid to defend themselves, for fear of getting into trouble. And consequently, perhaps there wouldn't be so many bullies because these kids would be defending themselves.

How about blaming the bad guy, and not the victim.

 

[Bruno@MT]

The administrator was not there when the incidents happened. Given the context of the school incidents, it is not always easy to figure out who is to blame or who can claim self defense.

Recently, someone I know got hit in the head because he provoked a reaction from a known hothead. Had he been able to defend himself, it would have been self defense. However, if he made a habit out of provoking such reactions in order to be allowed to beat them, that would be a bad thing.

It would of course and the -exact- words the administrator used, but I am not willing to bet that the reporter put down those words 100% accurately. I do agree that if a kid gets involved in multiple violent encounters, the parents should be informed that it might not be a bad idea to keep an eye on their kid, in case there is more going on.