Show of Hands

It would most likely get even worse.

Exactly.

People don't understand that concept nowadays. Its sad.

Sometimes hard to do when you're 65 lbs soaking wet

I know. But if he gets the mental confidence, he can do it. 5' 3" female drill sergeants can put terror in the eyes of 6' 3" male recruits when they want to.

A 65 pound 14 year old obviously has some serious health problems unless he is a real midget. Which would certainly make his case harder unfortunately.

Or a serious amount of time on a computer and not a big fan of physical activity

So better to put the bully down for good?

Ha! Not quite what I had in mind.

Lol, what is that? Death to bullies?

Despite what your mama told you, violence does solve problems.

I think there is an argument against mere words, as they seem to cause damage to self esteem and such

I was bullied as a youngster until I learned that a good punch to the throat turns enemies into either a friend or a bystander. Either one is ok.

Later, in football, I got hit in the throat and learned why it always worked.

And let's be honest, the kid doing the bullying at the beginning needed his ass beat and put in his place anyhow.

I can't stand that. That kid's parents would have received a visit from me.

Believe me, the parents got a visit. And when it carried over into Church, the YM President got a piece of my mind along with the Bishop. It was bad. And yet, nothing changed until we left that ward. Sad for sure.

It's unusual I think that what you did didn't solve the problem.

I agree it's unusual. One of the boys' parents didn't know what to do either. They tried. The other boys' parents/guardians didn't. It really frustrated me. I've never been so glad to leave a ward!!!!!

This

If you were say, a pen pal, and he floated this idea by you, would you advise him not to?

I would advise him not to. I'd remind him that there is a reason bullies are the way they are. In many cases everything they are doing or saying to their victim, someone bigger and stronger is saying to them. We unfortunately do not live in a world..

that is going to give us positivity every day. As adults we deal with messages if inadequacy all the time. I'd advise him that this is the time to build yourself up and be strong and sure of yourself. Hurting someone else will never accomplish that.

In this way he is preparing to be a healthy adult rather than one who allows others opinions to define him.

Easier said than done but that'd be my advice.

Good point, who knows, you hiring a bigger bully might send the other over the edge, maybe gets beat by someone at home and now at school.

Be an awful lot of them. It's really sad how horrible bullying has become

Yep. And schools either can't do anything, think they can't even when they can, or just won't. And I know some say just turn it off. That's not a bad idea, but it would be equivalent of my dad (who grew up in the 70s) being locked in his house from

When he got home to when he went to school, except if he tried to step out a bunch of wild tigers would attempt to devour him.

He didn't help himself, there are two bullies in thin scenario

The hired kid is not a bully in this scenario. He put an end to the first bully.

I could agree if the pay wasn't in there

He's a mercenary :)

Ha! He could set up a booth outside the cafeteria

Pay makes him a bully?

Debatable, what kind of kid charges money to beat another?

Maybe the bullied kid offered. Is this even a real situation that happened?

No

I think you're underestimating the fear little boys have of fighting, esp when facing a larger, aggressive boy.

I can't even imagine how hard it must be for bullied kids. Perhaps you're right.

@kscott not entirely, I was bullied and felt that way for a while, and found that if you manner up the will to push past the fear, usually (with my experience anyhow) if you stand up and fight back they usually don't like it as much and stop.

I understand that some kids may be able to muster up the courage but I would argue not most. I was a Big Brother to a 9 yr old that was bullied for having a lazy eye. He was scrawny and didn't have a good home environment. Father and mother in

prison. Sweetest kid but he never would've been able to fight back. He would tell me stories....saddest stuff. Didn't want to go to school.

I definitely agree with you, and likewise wouldn't argue most, I'd just rather try to fight back, but that's only because of my own personal experience being bullied or picked on.

I don't think he could be punished? I may be wrong, hiring someone to beat another wasn't in my school rules

They'd probably find a way bob. I definitely don't approve, and I'm lucky my parents tried to help me out. I'm pretty sure they'd find a way to punish the 14 and 16 year old though.

It's certainly against the law and beating someone up is assault

Not all parents, nor schools are the same

That's true - but the law is the same pretty much everywhere

Bob, I know that, that's why I said I was lucky. It would technically be assault, so they'd probably bring in the campus officers. If nothing else, doing this only helps the bully.

I'm not saying he shouldn't be punished, just that I'm not going to be leading the battle cry for it.

Matt - is this a true story?

I don't know if bob's scenario is true. I definitely never tried to beat anyone up or try to get someone to do it for me. My middle school did a decent job, but my high school kind of ignored the issue, especially since much was online.

Matt, I'm sorry to hear that. No one deserves to be bullied. While I'm not an advocate for vigilante justice, I can't help but empathize in the situation Bob brought up. Both sides are wrong in some way, but I understand the bullied child's side.

I don't know if it's true either, just something I can envision happening.

Bob - just re-read your initial response. Sorry I took that completely opposite of what you intended I think...

The results surprise me

Which way? Did you expect more noes or more yeses?

Yeses

I approve

Me too