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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWATCH: Teen Suspended for Defending Bullied Gay Classmate ****UPDATE****
Last edited Mon Feb 10, 2014, 09:12 PM - Edit history (1)
A Florida high schooler was suspended for 10 days after a lunchroom fight in which he reportedly stepped in to defend a gay student from a bully.
Mark Betterson, a senior at East Lee County High School in Lehigh Acres, Fla., told WFTX TV that he got involved in the fray after James Griffin, 18, threw milk in a gay student's face, called him a gay slur, and began beating him.
The victim, 18-year-old Jonathan Colon, suffered bruises to the head, but Betterson believes his intervention prevented more serious injuries to Colon. According to the report, Griffin began attacking Betterson after he jumped in to defend Colon.
"Its not fair for somebody to get beat up for something that he is," Betterson told WFTX. "Im not going to sit there and watch someone get bullied if I used to get bullied too."
http://www.advocate.com/youth/2014/02/10/watch-teen-suspended-defending-bullied-gay-classmate
I live in this County and if I ever get the chance to run into Mark Betterson I would like to buy him lunch & ask him how I can help him with his education of higher learning after graduation.
To you Mark Betterson.
UPDATE: Suspension has been thrown out for Mark Betterson and the bully arrested.
http://www.nbc-2.com/story/24684359/defending-student-not-expelled-for-fight-at-east-lee-county-high#.Uvl3PmeYY5s
cyberswede
(26,117 posts)Stupid school.
Lost_Count
(555 posts)Welcome to the new standard of behavior in our schools that creates an entire generation of victims...
It's better to take the beating it seems... or watch someone else take it...
Humanist_Activist
(7,670 posts)for "instigating" the fight. Zero tolerance is just bullshit.
William769
(55,150 posts)Humanist_Activist
(7,670 posts)sensitive about it, it really does destroy your self esteem.
It took me a long time to come to terms with it, and I would like schools to be able deal with this in a more reasonable and rational way.
awoke_in_2003
(34,582 posts)and let people beat other people? I don't think so.
Lost_Count
(555 posts)If my son came home and said "Dad, I saw this kid getting the stuffing knocked out of him. It wasn't for fun. It wasn't a fair fight and I thought he was really going to hurt him. I jumped in the fight to keep him from getting really hurt. I think they are going to suspend me"
Well, I'd buy that boy a puppy to spend his week at home with and that principal and that council meeting would get an earful. I don't think it would make a whit of difference but they'd get it and in front of my boy as well.
Young men need to know what right looks like and defending the weak is one of those things and my son will know that I have his back 100% when he makes the right and ethical choice.
awoke_in_2003
(34,582 posts)and re-read our other post. I think I just misunderstood you. You are absolutely right. My grandson got in trouble because he defended an overweight kid who was receiving a rough time. I made sure he knew I was proud of him. Luckily he didn't have to do much- he is a big kid so the others backed off with just a good shove. Bullies usually back down to people who stand up to them.
Lost_Count
(555 posts)Vinnie From Indy
(10,820 posts)eom
LittleBlue
(10,362 posts)In fact, I'd reward him.
Fuck the schools who stand by and do little or nothing. They're as bad as the bullies.
William769
(55,150 posts)Pretzel_Warrior
(8,361 posts)Lee County is so conservative that it is even more of a credit to him that he was brave enough to step in.
sheshe2
(84,057 posts)Gothmog
(145,839 posts)This child did the right thing
proudretiredvet
(312 posts)Please know how proud I am of you. It is great to see someone do the right thing for someone else. This is my America.
Bluenorthwest
(45,319 posts)How can we send DU hearts to him?
ReRe
(10,597 posts)... like NOW.
MysticHuman
(219 posts)Thank you for taking a stand. Shame on the school for not supporting your actions.
awoke_in_2003
(34,582 posts)This straight, but not narrow, man approves.
Orsino
(37,428 posts)I could admire a minimal application of violence that heads off something worse, but the details of just what was done to whom and when are lacking. A willingness to put oneself in danger to protect another is pretty cool.
Rex
(65,616 posts)SO fucking easy to stand in the crowd and watch some helpless person get beat down by assholes. So hard to step up and do the right thing!
HERO.
lpbk2713
(42,774 posts)That's how it seems to work out all too often.
treestar
(82,383 posts)Good for Betterson.
groundloop
(11,532 posts)treestar
(82,383 posts)Time for bullies to face charges rather than just be accepted as part of the landscape.
sarisataka
(18,895 posts)Kudos to the boys who are standing for what is right
Iggo
(47,591 posts)That said, totally worth it.
Enjoy your vacation, Mark.
ScreamingMeemie
(68,918 posts)...and I am guessing this school has something blather about "zero-tolerance" and "no place for hate" on it's webpage.
From the news:
" According to the report, Griffin began attacking Betterson after he jumped in to defend Colon."
Lost_Count
(555 posts)ScreamingMeemie
(68,918 posts)fight because it appears one-sided) and the aggressor turned on him. To me, he was suspended for getting attacked.
LeftyMom
(49,212 posts)Dad picked her up and took her out for ice cream.
An ambulance picked him up and took him to the ER and then to surgery.
She had a really great week off of school.
RKP5637
(67,112 posts)Cha
(298,021 posts)TBF
(32,139 posts)my son is only six but he's a good kid and he's also big. He's got one kid in his class who is a trouble-maker and he actually asked me if he could punch him back if he started anything. This was in reference to a kid who acts out so much that at least 2 families I know of have gotten their daughters moved out of the class by threatening legal action against the school. I told my son he should never start anything but he can finish it if he has to. We are not putting up with that nonsense.
Wolf Frankula
(3,605 posts)in states that have SYG laws?
Of course the law will say NO, minors aren't people.
Wolf
William769
(55,150 posts)okaawhatever
(9,478 posts)warrior1
(12,325 posts)Warren DeMontague
(80,708 posts)Mark Betterson.
dembotoz
(16,865 posts)he defended a classmate.
I heard about it from other parents on my kids hockey team
they were very proud of him
i still am
Behind the Aegis
(54,052 posts)countryjake
(8,554 posts)Fantastic news!
A principled young man, brave beyond his years.
Sissyk
(12,665 posts)I don't know how I missed this early but it was worth it to see the UPDATE. Fantastic news!
awoke_in_2003
(34,582 posts)LeftyMom
(49,212 posts)Spirochete
(5,264 posts)Way too good for that damn school.
flvegan
(64,425 posts)Cheers to you and your parents, sir.
So, Griffin is 18. Charged as an adult for HATE CRIMES, anyone?
If/when convicted, fuck you little shit.
NYC_SKP
(68,644 posts)Pretzel_Warrior
(8,361 posts)sakabatou
(42,202 posts)SamKnause
(13,114 posts)Zero Common Sense.
Thank you Mark Betterson.
NealK
(1,895 posts)crim son
(27,465 posts)This one has a happy ending.
myrna minx
(22,772 posts)They_Live
(3,246 posts)Standing up to bullies is how you make them disappear.
ProgressiveJarhead
(172 posts)His name is fitting.
nadinbrzezinski
(154,021 posts)what the kid needs to do... is not quite defend his friend. It is document, document, document. And both families should then sue the school system in the courts. This will not stop until this is taken out of the schools and fought back in the only place where administrators and school officials will get it, the court system.
Bullies will continue to hide behind stupid rules until they are exposed to the wider public, or sued over. That is the only fight back school districts understand.
And I am glad this had a happy ending, but that is so rare, it probably had to do with the court of public opinion.