There are many things that disturb me about the Karen Klein incident, more than the event itself, the comments and reactions surrounding it have been perfect examples of exactly what is wrong with parenting and our view of children.

What drives me utterly and completely round the twist with this situation is the fact that one adult bus monitor is publicly comforted, given loads of money and the bullies were punished and coerced into apologizing to her and yet every day we legally force children to go to school and other activities where they are repeatedly bullied with no rewards or comfort. How screwed up is that? And one adult woman can't handle a little bullying? What about kids to whom school and neighbor kids are their entire life? We throw a few platitudes at the kiddies, “sticks and stones” and “it's only words” or exhort them to be “better people” than the bullies. What the hell are we teaching our kids? What is this whole event teaching them? Once again, Adult Privilege, once you're grown up you count. Kinda. Maybe. If someone is recording it and you catch the public's attention and they're feeling all warm and fuzzy about you. But kids? Ehhhh, not so much. When was the last time a story broke about a kid who was bullied just once whose family received over half a million dollars for the kid to have a “dream vacation”, the bullies publicly apologize, are suspended for a year and the kid gets to do the rounds of morning and talk shows about how crappy being bullied is? I doubt Karen Klein was their first bullying victim, so where's the outcry and outpouring of love for the kids they likely did this to on a regular basis? 

The statistics on bullying and youth suicide are horrifying. Suicide is the third leading cause of death among young people between 10 and 24. Why? Are we blind to think that bullying doesn't contribute to suicidal feelings? Do we blow our kids off because we too were bullied and we turned out “just fine”? Do we accept it as “part of life”?

Why do we expect kids who have little life experience and even less actual guidance to handle things so much more maturely than a 68-year-old woman? I notice Karen Klein is donating some of her money to research for Down Syndrome, a cause close to her family; so far I've not heard that she's donating it to bullying causes.