TKD BB "assault" another student following a racist attack

[Ken Morgan]

I was originally going to put this in the horror story section, but the ending is great with his classmates walking out.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090430.wkeswick30art22312/BNStory/National/home


JOE FRIESEN
From Thursday's Globe and Mail
April 30, 2009 at 4:21 AM EDT

KESWICK, ONT. — The 15-year-old black belt thought he was doing his tormentor a favour when he elected to fight back with his weaker left hand.
He had heard his white classmate throw an angry racial slur in his direction after an argument during a gym class game of speedball, and now the student was shoving him backward, refusing to retract the smear.
The white student swung first, hitting the 15-year-old with a punch to the mouth

 

[Joab]

He shouldn't have hit the student. A push is not a serious attack, and verbal abuse is no excuse for hitting someone. He shouldn't be charged with assault either. He should have reported the incident and let hate crimes laws take their effect. Than again, he is only 15, I did stuff like that when I was 15.

 

[Jade Tigress]

He shouldn't have hit the student. A push is not a serious attack, and verbal abuse is no excuse for hitting someone. He shouldn't be charged with assault either. He should have reported the incident and let hate crimes laws take their effect. Than again, he is only 15, I did stuff like that when I was 15.

I think you missed this:

The white student swung first, hitting the 15-year-old with a punch to the mouth.

 

[Drac]

Its sad that a student can no longer defend himself without winding up in hot water...My Grandson ( 9 ) was suspended once for 2 days for fighting, and he was just defending himself...My Step-Daughter would not allow me to visit the school and champion his cause...Prolly for the best..

 

[theletch1]

Its sad that a student can no longer defend himself without winding up in hot water...My Grandson ( 9 ) was suspended once for 2 days for fighting, and he was just defending himself...My Step-Daughter would not allow me to visit the school and champion his cause...Prolly for the best..

Don't you just love "zero tolerance"?

 

[Ken Morgan]

When my son was younger he would always seem to get into trouble at school, he never started anything but there was always something. He’s not one to back down from anyone or anything.

After coming out on the wrong side of a couple of fights, I signed him up for boxing lessons, in addition to the gymnastics he was already taking. The school didn’t seem to be doing much about the bullies. Funny after two years of boxing, he no longer came out on the wrong side, and no one picked on him anymore.

I told him I didn’t mind him getting into trouble for defending himself, provided he never started anything. I had many discussions with school authorities, about how wrong my thought process was. I told them that my son always has the right to defend himself, and if they couldn’t stop the bullying, my son would.

In the article I love how 400 of the kids school mates walked out in protest. Obviously they have been bullied too.

 

[Gordon Nore]

This is very disappointing to read; however, it speaks very highly of the student population of the school to stand up the way they did. In our desire to protect kids from violence, we forget that emotions boil over, and sometimes people get into fights. I hope the family fights back and gets justice for this boy.

As someone said above, "He's only fifteen."

 

[cdunn]

It's a shame that people abusing the system has forced things like this to happen.

 

[LuckyKBoxer]

Good for the Asian Kid in defending himself, and stopping once he had ended the attackers bad intentions.

I hate the zero tolerance policy but I understand it, if it was not for the zero tolerance policy, I could definitely see how kids could group together to get at others.... for example one attacks another and then all his friends say that he defended himself.

we teach our kids and their parents about Zero Tolerance, we try to make sure they understand what it means, and then let them chose what to tell their kids in regards to self defense while at school in face of the consequences. I think once the parents and kids understand it, and agree on an approach, that they are seldom surprised and upset at the resultant suspensions. I know that when my kids get in school, and with their training, if something ever happens to them and they defend themselves or another and are suspended, I will be taking them to disneyland for a fun filled day. I am more concerned with them making the right choices for the right reasons, then the choices a school may want them to make for general reasons.

 

[KELLYG]

The bully got lucky. If the kid used his right hand he would have been hurt much worse.

 

[Live True]

I'm glad to read about the other students rallying, that is a reassuring sign.

I just don't understand why the other student isn't being threatened with explusion as well. If you have a "zero-tolerance" policy (which are stupid from the get go), then why is it not being equally applied. They were both in the fight, and both swung.

Otherwise, I am impressed with the advise the boys father gave him, and I've seen other MA's note about thier children. Don't start it, but don't let yourself be abused. I can agree with that.

I hope the "investigation" comes out with a fair bit of justice for all involved.

 

[celtic_crippler]

I guess Keswick must be in "Southern" Canada... :uhohh:

Seriously, that kid and his family are welcome down here in Georgia. Heck, I might even see if he'll give me a lesson or two!

I say good for him! Where's the common sense in allowing someone to cause you bodily injury? The kid did the right thing busting that bully in his schnoz.

 

[Gordon Nore]

Good for the Asian Kid in defending himself, and stopping once he had ended the attackers bad intentions.

I hate the zero tolerance policy but I understand it...

Agreed. I don't know if this board has a stated violence 'zero tolerance' policy. My school board, until 11 years ago, consisted of six boards, one of which had a zero tolerance policy, which was highly contoversial. To my knowledge, the only expulsions to emerge from that policy involved weapons. However, realistically, nieghbouring boards were not pleased because it simply meant that a student might be expelled from one board, get on a bus, and go to another.

In this instance, based soley on what is reported, there's no indication that the student had a violent history, nor that he poses a future threat.

Like I said, the boy's only fifteen. He was under threat and being harassed. There's no justice without mercy.

 

[Xue Sheng]

sooooo bullying, racism and assault are ok in that region of Canada but self-defense is not

 

[Thesemindz]

He shouldn't have hit the student. A push is not a serious attack, and verbal abuse is no excuse for hitting someone. He shouldn't be charged with assault either. He should have reported the incident and let hate crimes laws take their effect. Than again, he is only 15, I did stuff like that when I was 15.

I disagree. A push is a very serious attack. It is a potentially life threatening initiation of violence agaainst another human being. You can be pushed down stairs, into walls, or as a set up for follow up striking. Pushes can be deadly serious.

As to the rest of it, I was attacked once in high school. I was getting kicked, I pushed the other guy away, he punched me in the nose, and we both got suspended. That's the way they address violence in schools. It isn't fair, it isn't rational. It's knee jerk and thoughtless and requires as little as possible from the administrators.


-Rob

 

[LuckyKBoxer]

As to the rest of it, I was attacked once in high school. I was getting kicked, I pushed the other guy away, he punched me in the nose, and we both got suspended. That's the way they address violence in schools. It isn't fair, it isn't rational. It's knee jerk and thoughtless and requires as little as possible from the administrators.


-Rob

While I agree that it requires as little as possible from the administrators, I also think that until there is 24/7 video and voice surveillance in schools that anything else has the ability to be abused by the students.

 

[celtic_crippler]

Zero Tolerence policy is absolutely ridiculous, ineffective, and illogical. Not to mention that such policies often attempt to take away one our most very basic of rights; the right to self preservation.

How absolutely ludicrous is it to ask of a person to stand by idly while they are being physically attacked. The only thing more outrageous than that is the fact that you have to explain this to some people!

 

[Omar B]

Any unwanted contact is an assault, a push is just as grievous as a punch in my eyes. You are not my gf, mom, sister or dad,you don't need to be touching me.

As for the kid, he's completely justified, they are just angry their little racist got his butt kicked by his "victim." I commend the kid and his father for teaching him self control.

 

[morph4me]

Zero Tolerence policy is absolutely ridiculous, ineffective, and illogical. Not to mention that such policies often attempt to take away one our most very basic of rights; the right to self preservation.

How absolutely ludicrous is it to ask of a person to stand by idly while they are being physically attacked. The only thing more outrageous than that is the fact that you have to explain this to some people!

I couldn't agree more, zero tolerance makes absolutely no sense and when my kids were in school I told them, in the presense of their teachers, that they had the right and obligation to defend themselves if necessary, and I would deal with the administration, but if the ever started a fight, the were going to regret it for a very long time, and wouldn't be able to sit down without a cushion.

 

[celtic_crippler]

Any unwanted contact is an assault, a push is just as grievous as a punch in my eyes. You are not my gf, mom, sister or dad,you don't need to be touching me.

As for the kid, he's completely justified, they are just angry their little racist got his butt kicked by his "victim." I commend the kid and his father for teaching him self control.

Excellent point! His dad deserves a pat on the back too.

The way "assault" is defined varies depending on where you live. For instance, in Georgia an "assault" can be an attempt to make contact and/or include threats. In essence, if you verbally threaten me I am within my right to defend myself. Reminds of an old Irish saying..."Often a mans mouth broke his nose." lol

I reccomend that all martial artist educate themselves on their local laws and statutes. Not just criminal, but civil as well. Whereas I might get away without having any criminal charges pressed against me for smacking a smart alec in the nose in GA, that doesn't mean he can't sue me for the damages in civil court...he can.