# My son was jumped by a couple of punks at school today **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 28, 2011, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-son-was-jumped-by-a-couple-of-punks-at-school-today/583530 "2011-05-28T04:51:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2011, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-son-was-jumped-by-a-couple-of-punks-at-school-today/583530/1 "2011-05-28T04:51:45Z")
I got a call from the middle school security officer around 1:30 today. My son was in the nurse’s office with minor injuries and they had two kids in custody who had attacked him on the yard. “Do you want to press charges?” she asked. “Absolutely,” I said. When I got to the school a few minutes later I found my son in the nurse’s office with ice on his foot, filling out an incident report. He didn’t even know the kids who attacked him. He’d run into them playing soccer in the bathroom earlier in the day and had warned them that they would get in trouble if they were caught. This apparently pissed them off enough that they jumped during lunch. The one good part of the attack is that a large group of other kids saw it happen and rushed to my son’s defense. My son’s a loner, but apparently he has a reputation as a good guy, and when his classmates saw him get attacked for no reason they helped him out. Several of them even wrote up eyewitness accounts that my son was not at fault. The cops showed up while I was there and took my son’s statement. Then they hauled the attackers off to juvenile detention. It’s unclear if my son will need to testify at the hearing or not. My son was still limping when we left so I took him to the doctor to be safe. It’s possible that he broke his toe during the scuffle. We’ll find out tomorrow when they look at the x-rays. And to add insult to injury, when we were at the doctor’s, the discovered that he was due for a vaccine. Poor guy. I have to say, so far the school has been doing pretty much everything right. They caught the attackers right away and seemed almost thrilled that I wanted to press charges. The school security officer, the school nurse, and the school psychologist were all very kind and supportive. My son’s English teacher even came down to visit him in the nurse’s office to tell him he’d gotten a 100 on the essay he’d turned in yesterday. ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2011, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-son-was-jumped-by-a-couple-of-punks-at-school-today/583530/2 "2011-05-28T05:27:20Z")
> [@The\_Hamster\_King](#): > > The one good part of the attack is that a large group of other kids saw it happen and rushed to my son’s defense. My son’s a loner, but apparently he has a reputation as a good guy, and when his classmates saw him get attacked for no reason they helped him out. Several of them even wrote up eyewitness accounts that my son was not at fault. Well, damn. I may have to give up codgerhood. There just may be some hope for the next generation. Good on them. ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2011, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-son-was-jumped-by-a-couple-of-punks-at-school-today/583530/3 "2011-05-28T05:38:26Z")
It’s really great that his classmates backed him up. All too often that kind of thing happens in a dark corner away from witnesses. Incidentally, how stupid _are_ these bullies, jumping a kid in front of witnesses? It sounds like although your son is a loner, he’s not actively unpopular, and I’d bet that the two kids who beat him are actively unpopular\*. I’m glad that there’s nothing too badly wrong; a broken toe is a shame but it’ll heal quickly. \*Probably because they beat people up. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2011, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-son-was-jumped-by-a-couple-of-punks-at-school-today/583530/4 "2011-05-28T05:55:14Z")
I’m glad you’re going ahead with prosecution, so many people don’t. If you son does end up having to go to court, it will be interesting to see what the two turds parents are like. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2011, 9:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-son-was-jumped-by-a-couple-of-punks-at-school-today/583530/5 "2011-05-28T09:53:46Z")
Hope all is okay Hamster King. Your school has a psychologist? Is that usual? ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2011, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-son-was-jumped-by-a-couple-of-punks-at-school-today/583530/6 "2011-05-28T10:12:14Z")
Wow. Contrast this with **my** childhood.:eek: Difference is night & day. Your kid caught one _bad_ break, & \*several \*good ones. Luck to you both. ---
**Author:** ![Kozmik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8dc957/32.png) [@Kozmik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kozmik)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2011, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-son-was-jumped-by-a-couple-of-punks-at-school-today/583530/7 "2011-05-28T13:04:59Z")
> [@appleciders](#): > > It’s really great that his classmates backed him up. All too often that kind of thing happens in a dark corner away from witnesses. Incidentally, how stupid _are_ these bullies, jumping a kid in front of witnesses? “Them ain’t witnesses. Them are classmates.” ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2011, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-son-was-jumped-by-a-couple-of-punks-at-school-today/583530/8 "2011-05-28T13:19:54Z")
> [@SeaDragonTattoo](#): > > I’m glad you’re going ahead with prosecution, so many people don’t. If you son does end up having to go to court, it will be interesting to see what the two turds parents are like. I’m a teacher and it’s true. This is why the school was so happy. > [@Cicero](#): > > Your school has a psychologist? Is that usual? Yes, but the district may have one who came over to help out. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2011, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-son-was-jumped-by-a-couple-of-punks-at-school-today/583530/9 "2011-05-28T13:39:42Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Yes, but the district may have one who came over to help out. I don’t know if she’s full time. My son has an IEP because of attention deficit issues, so we’ve met with her before, and she knows my son well. I don’t think they called her because of the attack. She just happened to be in the nurse’s office when I got there. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2011, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-son-was-jumped-by-a-couple-of-punks-at-school-today/583530/10 "2011-05-28T15:17:32Z")
Great Hamster, and I hope your son has no lasting effects. Bullying makes me sick. (I was asking about the psychologist as I have no exposure to schooling for many years). ---
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2011, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-son-was-jumped-by-a-couple-of-punks-at-school-today/583530/11 "2011-05-28T15:55:43Z")
A middle school fight with minor injuries resulting in arrest and juvie? Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiidiculous. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2011, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-son-was-jumped-by-a-couple-of-punks-at-school-today/583530/12 "2011-05-28T16:04:44Z")
> [@treis](#): > > A middle school fight with minor injuries resulting in arrest and juvie? > > Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiidiculous. It was not a fight ,it was two kids administering a beating to one kid. In the adult world, that’s assault and battery. You go to jail for that. It’s about time for thugs like that to have consequences to their actions. ---
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2011, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-son-was-jumped-by-a-couple-of-punks-at-school-today/583530/13 "2011-05-28T16:16:07Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > It was not a fight ,it was two kids administering a beating to one kid. > > In the adult world, that’s assault and battery. You go to jail for that. > > It’s about time for thugs like that to have consequences to their actions. They are between the ages of 10-13 and are not adults. Middle School is not the adult world. I’m not arguing for no consequences. I am arguing for consequences appropriate for kids. Detention, suspension, groundings. Not Jail. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2011, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-son-was-jumped-by-a-couple-of-punks-at-school-today/583530/14 "2011-05-28T16:20:11Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > It was not a fight ,it was two kids administering a beating to one kid. > > In the adult world, that’s assault and battery. You go to jail for that. > > It’s about time for thugs like that to have consequences to their actions. I agree with you here. What I thought was odd was when a couple of weeks ago I picked up my 5 year old daughter from school, I was pulled off to the side and the teacher pointed to a little itty bitty dot between her eyes. I wouldn’t have noticed it if I didn’t see it. The teacher said that she got hit with a pencil. I said “oh, okay” and started to walk away. Then the teacher let me know that it appeared to be an accident (the other kid was flicking pencils and my daughter caught one between the eyes) Again, kind of an “Oh okay” yeah, it was close, but nothing happened. Then she told me that she was going to call my ex-wife and let her know. Umm, seems overboard, but okay, and that the kid was sent to the principal’s office and his parents were called down to the school and he was disciplined. I was honestly waiting for the teacher to tell me that the police were called. The whole time, I’m thinking “Ummm, can’t you just tell him not to do that anymore and move on” But, this, this is different, this was beating someone up. They didn’t push him in the mud or trip him on the playground, it was a beating. Worse, it was retaliatory for something undeserved. Not that it would make it right, but if the kid went and told on them and they got in trouble, I could understand, but all he did was suggest that they don’t do it in the school. All he deserved, as far as playground justice is concerned, is to be made fun of by them, not to have bones broken. These seem like the kind of kids that you need to worry about, the kind that are going to get arrested over and over in high school. Oddly, they’ll probably leave your kid alone more because of the rest of the students backing him up then anything the police could do. The people I knew like that in high school were damn proud of their arrest record/tickets/police blotter, but wouldn’t have done so well if they did something that had a good chunk of the student body angry at them. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2011, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-son-was-jumped-by-a-couple-of-punks-at-school-today/583530/15 "2011-05-28T16:24:33Z")
> [@treis](#): > > They are between the ages of 10-13 and are not adults. Middle School is not the adult world. > > I’m not arguing for no consequences. I am arguing for consequences appropriate for kids. Detention, suspension, groundings. Not Jail. The committed a violent act out of all proportion to the victims “offense” with the intent of instilling fear in him and others. They’re already damaged goods. Lock 'em up. ---
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2011, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-son-was-jumped-by-a-couple-of-punks-at-school-today/583530/16 "2011-05-28T16:27:41Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > The committed a violent act out of all proportion to the victims “offense” with the intent of instilling fear in him and others. > > They’re already damaged goods. Lock 'em up. Jesus I didn’t realize it was that dire. Are you sure we shouldn’t just take them out back and shoot them? ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2011, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-son-was-jumped-by-a-couple-of-punks-at-school-today/583530/17 "2011-05-28T16:32:25Z")
> [@treis](#): > > Jesus I didn’t realize it was that dire. Are you sure we shouldn’t just take them out back and shoot them? When two kids beat up another kid to the point that he needs x-rays, it goes beyond horsing around. If a school mate caused my daughter to rack up $1000 in medical bills, due to beating her up (as opposed to an accident or something she provoked), I’d hope they get more then a detention. Also, the OP mentioned the school seemed thrilled that he was pressing charges. I’d wonder if these kids had been in trouble before. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2011, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-son-was-jumped-by-a-couple-of-punks-at-school-today/583530/18 "2011-05-28T16:46:03Z")
Broken bones goes beyond what I would consider a schoolyard scuffle deserving no more than detention, IMO. I think the OP made the right call. ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2011, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-son-was-jumped-by-a-couple-of-punks-at-school-today/583530/19 "2011-05-28T16:46:58Z")
> [@treis](#): > > They are between the ages of 10-13 and are not adults. Middle School is not the adult world. > > I’m not arguing for no consequences. I am arguing for consequences appropriate for kids. Detention, suspension, groundings. Not Jail. I don’t give a fuck how old they are. If the incident happened as stated, they deserve to be arrested. This isn’t simple bullying, it’s unprovoked assault on an unarmed victim. Joe ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2011, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-son-was-jumped-by-a-couple-of-punks-at-school-today/583530/20 "2011-05-28T16:52:25Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > When two kids beat up another kid to the point that he needs x-rays, it goes beyond horsing around. If a school mate caused my daughter to rack up $1000 in medical bills, due to beating her up (as opposed to an accident or something she provoked), I’d hope they get more then a detention. > Also, the OP mentioned the school seemed thrilled that he was pressing charges. I’d wonder if these kids had been in trouble before. I’d be willing to bet my next paycheck these kids have been in trouble before. Kids need to be arrested for violence. Not some shabby detention or suspension. They should know that their actions have real consequences attached to them. Also, hitting their parents in the pocket book will pretty much guarantee that the parents will take a more proactive approach to their kid’s behaviour. I don’t think **treis** thought this one through. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-son-was-jumped-by-a-couple-of-punks-at-school-today/583530.md?page=2)