Fasten your seatbelts because I'm gonna' be the douchebag today. All buckled in? I've got my helmet, Kevlar vest, and athletic cup on. Ok, here we go...
I live in Rochester, NY, which is home to the suburb of Greece which spawned the viral video sensation of Karen Klein the bus monitor and the four foul mouthed moppets "bullying" her. I thought the children were disgusting. But it was obviously a game amongst them of "can you top this" with the most shocking and disgusting insult to Karen. It was inexcusable, deplorable and those kids should be kicked off the bus permanently and made to deal with their angry parents who will have to take time out of work to cart their asses around. As a parent I know that would be the most effective punishment for my kids. Hell hath no fury like a parent who has to take time off of work for something that could be avoided.
(Working parents, tell me if you haven't asked the school nurse when they call you at work, "Is the temperature really that bad?" "Well you stopped the bleeding already didn't you?" Because you all know time off work is money or co-workers or boss bitching about "Madge is always shirking her responsibilities because of her constant sick kids" BS. Damned if you do, damned if you don't. I digress.)
Here comes the douchebag part... How the hell does this warrant over $600,000 (last I checked) in reward to her for not doing her job?!!!!! Yes, yes those kids were awful but she's the adult! Isn't it a bus monitors job to keep order, not just ignore kids and sit in the seat and attempting to ignore them? It was reported that this wasn't the first time this happened and she had never reported any of the bad behavior, which according to my research is part of her job duties. Also, when I was a kid we couldn't even talk loud on the bus! If there was a group of us getting a little rowdy, the bus driver would stop the bus and split us up. Why the hell did this woman not tell them to stop talking and recording or she would report them? Why did she not send them to four different seats far apart and tell them to behave?
I'm not saying she asked for the money or is at fault for any of the money part, I'm saying it's kind of silly for people to donate to that cause. I'm sure she's very nice, but this whole thing got blown waaaaay out of proportion. As is everything that goes viral nowadays. Hell we make celebrities out of little kids on anesthesia! Give me a break.
I'm just saying, it takes two to Tango. I understand a kid being bullied, they don't have the maturity to defend themselves. But an adult? Ok, so she's "old". Last I checked 68 wasn't that old. I have sisters in their 60s that are still running 10K road races and I'm sure would kick my ass if I got out of line. And it's her God damn job to supposedly keep these kids in line or at the very least report them if they don't stay in line! Hike up your polyester pants Karen, and lay down the law!
And where was the bus driver?!!! I know he's busy driving the bus, but he could have pulled over the bus, I'm sure he heard the ruckus. Or she could have at least told him to pull over and told the little cretins that the bus wasn't moving again until they cut it out. They'd be pissed if she cut into their Xbox time!
I'm so tired of adults blaming the kids for the downfall of society. Be the damn adult! You have the control!
I've read everyday in the news here locally that they have had rallies and receptions like she's some kind of freakin' hero! I'm just kind of dumbfounded by the whole thing.
So if we follow that logic, could you all start a fund for me because I had my ex-husband verbally and physically abuse me? He was 6' tall and 220lbs of solid muscle, ex-hockey player (a defenseman goon to boot). At least I had an excuse, I couldn't undo his monster death grips on my arm. But I soon said enough and made him leave. I took responsibility. I understand some women get the crap beat out of them when they try to break it off, so it's easier to stay (in their mind). I was really lucky the physical stuff didn't get to that level. But I don't feel like anybody owes me squat.
I've had grown men in bars call me foul names because I rebuffed their advances. Like really nasty stuff that I can't repeat. If I didn't just leave, I'd tell the bouncer, that this guy was harrassing women and they'd escort him out. Nipped in the bud. Took control.
So yea, I'm a jerk. I just don't see where that unfortunate incident garners a trip to the community chest for this woman. It just goes to show you, America loves a good victim story. Why do you think there have been so many stories in the news lately of people getting busted for faking cancer to get a financial windfall or free wedding? Or why we hear of so many people getting scammed on the internet by those poor helpless millionaires in Nigeria that can't access their money? Because they know we are suckers. Which blows for the people that really are in need.
And I'll even take the douchebag one further... America loves a nice WHITE victim. Poor nice white lady gets harrassed... America to the rescue! Pretty suburban white girl goes missing... America to the rescue! Black or hispanic child goes missing... America is too busy to pay attention. Elderly non-white woman gets harrassed on the public bus everyday by young hoodlums... America could give a crap.
I know these are two separate issues, but seriously America, pay attention to the real injustices and let Karen Klein learn how to do her job figure out how to pay for her own damn vacation. Be the adult. Take control.
Let the hate mail begin...
I don't think you're gonna get hate mail for this. Her job was to keep order, she wasn't.
ReplyDeleteI think people are donating of there own free will because it's worth $5-$10 each to allow her to retire and not have to deal with it anymore.
You're version of douchebaggery just doesn't rise to the level of true douchebaghood. Sorry...
I guess my douchebag review got a fail. :( I know, I see your point about letting her not have to deal, but at the same time she chose the job and she gets paid. If it is that miserable quit and become a Wal-Mart greeter or something, I'm sure it pays about the same. lol (which is my endorsement of school employees being underpaid)
ReplyDeleteYou beat me to the punch. I was going to dust off the old blog making machine and rant about the bus lady debacle.
ReplyDeleteI have an issue with here not effectively dealing with the situation in any number of ways, but more-so with the fact that we rally behind the wrong things. $600, 000 dollars could benefit so many people that need that money so much more.
Any worthy organization looking to raise funds would do back-flips for 600K.
Amen. My point exactly.
DeleteWhen I heard about the money, I thought it was a bit much for a woman who had not managed to keep control of a group of students, yet did not quit. It's sickening that the kids felt like they could act like that, but it's also apparent if she has failed to be an authority figure to the students, she should not be in that position. Kids will always strike hardest when they sense they can get away with it. That is what happened.
ReplyDeletePeople will almost always donate money to an individual over a faceless cause. Identifiable victim bias. Case in point.
You put my whole blog into 1.5 paragraphs. Bravo. My thoughts exactly. Thank you.
DeleteJust a couple of points to make, while they're sitting on top of my head.
ReplyDeleteA) Being a Walmart greeter is out of the question; they just eliminated that position. There aren't many jobs out there for senior citizens. My father just retired at 64, is in great physical shape, and has been looking for work for over a year. Nobody wants to hire an "old person".
B) As a former bus monitor, I think there are things you should know before jumping to any conclusions. The bus monitor sits at the back of the bus, so it's entirely possible the bus driver didn't hear a thing that was happening. And looking in his mirror, he may have only seen them talking. They weren't screaming, they weren't jumping up and down, at worst they were leaning from their seat to hers. Then there are limitations to what a monitor is ALLOWED to do. She's not allowed to touch the students, she's not allowed to yell at them. The BEST she could have done would have been to yell to the driver to stop the bus. And you know exactly what would have happened ... the kids would have played dumb and innocent.
C) I think it's fine time that we bring bullying to the attention of everyone. Bullying doesn't just happen to the geeky kids in school and on the playground. It can happen to anyone, BY anyone.
D) How "brave" would you be in her situation, given the limitations of what you're allowed to do? It's one thing to talk a good game about, "Oh, I'd do this" and "She was stupid for not doing that" but what would you do in reality? And how much will would you have to do it after hearing the kids say that her family should commit suicide (her son actually DID take his own life prior to this)?
If these kids hadn't been stupid enough to take video of it, AND post it on YouTube, nobody would have known what was happening. I'm happy that she now has enough to retire and not have to deal with punk ass brats any more.
Thank you for commenting. And yes, I believe she should have yelled to the bus driver to stop, so what if they played dumb, she'd at least assert herself as being in control. I have been a monitor on buses before as well, I know what you can't do, and I DO know what I would do because I've done it. I do know you can tell the children they will be reported and you can tell them to stop being disrespectful and sit down. If you look in the video, they were hanging over the seats and getting up and down.
DeleteI never said she was stupid, my point was just that it was silly for the public to make such a fuss. Yes, I'm glad it gave evidence to bullying. Bullying is horrendous, but ya' know what, it happens in every facet of life, everyday. There are always going to be assholes. Twice I have had the biggest bully for a boss, so much so I'd be in tears. No one ever started a fund for me. That's all I'm saying. If it makes people feel good to donate, that's great, but... in several interviews that I saw with her on TV she said she loves her job and has no plans to retire.
The world is full of people looking to gain from a sob story.
ReplyDelete