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This happened to my friend. I feel sorry. But he is brave! |
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The reaction to the bully attack suffered by Corbin ____ has been waves of support for the 12-year-old boy.
The Grade 6 student at _______school was subjected to about five minutes of physical and emotional abuse, and it is not the first time, but in this instance it was videotaped by one of the students and posted on the Internet site YouTube, where it was seen by about 500 people before the clip was pulled Monday.
Under the clip was some 30 comments written by viewers. While a few statements gave kudos to the bullies, most were overwhelmingly sympathetic to Corbin.
His stepmom, Sherry Dawson, said the boy is not handicapped, as claimed by some in the comments, but he has always had quirks to his personality that made him a target for bullies. He was also about three-years-old when his mother died of breast cancer. That on top of all the emotional turmoil that goes along with being a child closing in on his teen years has taken a toll on him, she said. The notes of support, Dawson said, have been something to cherish out of a traumatic experience on the weekend.
"They were amazing. A few were just horrible, but so many were really heartfelt and sincere in their support for Corbin," she said.
Family friends, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the boy has earned the praise.
"He has some difficulties and he has been severely teased all his life," said one. "He had some issues at Hart Highlands (his elementary school), but he made out reasonably well. But when he went over to ____it got really bad for him"
Another said, "That's how shootings happen, suicides, this bullying is what sets all that up. It hurts deeply, and people can't put their head in the sand about it. Either you've been a bully or you've been bullied sometime in your life. You've been there. This goes on at every school in every city, but we can't let Corbin just suffer like that. Nobody deserves to be treated like that."
Principal Lee Karpenko said the data shows significant reductions in violence and troubled kids at the school, but this incident is a reminder that bullies are certainly there and, worse in his mind, all the other students are letting them get away with it by not standing up to help their fellow student and not reporting incidents to the office.
"We are responding to this both with consequences for the bullies, yes, but the staff is very supportive of trying to find ways of making this a teaching moment," Karpenko said.
"What's really disturbing is all those kids going by and nobody did a thing to stop them," said one parent.
"I am hoping they are going to make examples of these people, and I'm not the only one who is hoping that. If they are strong enough on these ones maybe it will stop other ones from doing it."
One parent said Corbin deserved a bravery award for showing the world how to be assertive in the face of danger, but never crossing the line into physical confrontation.
"They aren't hitting him, they aren't beating him up, but it shows the power of bullying," the parent said. "Corbin sets a good example. All his comments were like 'you have to accept me for who I am' and kept saying stuff like that. He didn't carry on, he didn't run off saying 'I'm going to tell on you' he just said 'talk to the hand' and walked away. To have that kind of guts in front of all those kids, he's a hero in my eyes."
SOME OF THE COMMENTS POSTED ON YOUTUBE
- It's true what he says that being yourself is the coolest thing you can do.
- NOT FUNNY! The bully is no hero! Corbin is. He had the maturity to stand up for what is right, while you teased him relentlessly. He wouldn't fight, because he simply doesn't like violence. He just wants to be accepted for who he is. He has endured more personal tragedy than most kids his age, and survived it all. So, before you judge him, put yourself in his shoes, then you will know how rejection really feels!
- Get a life you losers! I hope you all get in (trouble) for your immaturity. Keep your chin up Corbin and "be yourself."
- Corbin is a quiet, kind, sweet soul who obviously has more maturity at his age than most teenagers. You proved that to be true. Bullying is unacceptable and you (bullies) have crossed the line. May you get what is coming to you as you deserve it!
- Was anyone sticking up for Corbin? All of you that were laughing are equally to blame.
This happened to my friend at MY school there are some grade 5 students in elemetary that are so SCARED to come to my school now. I say that im ashamed! Corbin does NOT and I repeat NOT deserve this He is a nice kid and he shouldnt be picked on. In grade 3 he was my partner when all my friend ditched me. He is just the NICEST person I have EVER met in my WHOLE entire life. And no he does not just act nice to people like most people do...he IS nice. This should never happen corbin is a brave kid for doing this. Especially in his first year of school. He should get a bravery medal for not losing his cool and getting into violence. This shouldnt have happened to him and now Im scared the walk the hallways in my school thinking that I will get bullied and I know there are plenty other kids out in my school who think so too. Corbin is so nice and just...doesnt diserve this. I was crying after advisory because of what happened. Just to know that someone you have known your whole life got bullied? its absoultly HORRIBLE to get that feeling. After all he did NOTHING to the bullies and never did anything bad. He was a nice kid and a nice person and it just SICKENS me when I hear about it. They spit on him, made rude comments and NO ONE stopped it...There were NO teachers... i just...cant believe it....
Toxic Love Effect · Wed Nov 21, 2007 @ 12:22am · 0 Comments |
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