I support Chelisa Grimes and Darnell Young

[stevenleser]

http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/07/us/indiana-bullied-teen/index.html?hpt=us_c2

If a school cannot protect an LGBT youth from bullying, that school has no right to punish that youth for bringing a defensive weapon to school:

Grimes sent her son, Darnell "Dynasty" Young, to Arsenal Technical High School in Indianapolis with the stun gun after he said he was taunted and bullied for months.

"I brought the stun gun 'cause I wasn't safe," the 17-year-old said.

After six other students surrounded him at school on April 16, calling him names and threatening to beat him up, Young pulled the stun gun from his backpack. He raised it in the air, setting off an electric charge, and sending the group scurrying, Young said.

Unlike a Taser, which fire barbs attached to long wires at a target, a stun gun has to be near or pressed against a person to shock them.
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I am not a fan of bringing weapons to schools, but schools have to own up to their responsibilities to protect the children entrusted to them.

[chrisa]

1. You're the best, Steve

I'm not LGBT, but I too support this mother. What other choice did she have? I could only imagine how awful she felt, seeing her son picked on and assaulted day by day. Can anyone blame her to resorting to this?

[irisblue]

2. it's ok

if you are a straight bully/bullies. but not okay if you are a gay kid who won't be bullied any longer. good for him and his mom. ( do i need the sarcasm thing after the first sentence?)

[William769]

3. I am a strong proponent of self protection

Especially when people in charge refuse to do thew protecting.

[closeupready]

5. If officials were aware but took no action, they are responsible

for fostering a hostile learning environment for failing to address the bullying behavior.

[closeupready]

4. I absolutely do support them, as well.

nt

[Jamastiene]

6. The school did not stop the bullying he had to endure.

I think he should have had the right to protect himself without being punished by the school.

I say more power to any gay teens (and adults too) who defend themselves. If we start defending ourselves more often, the bullies will think twice before they try that crap with the next gay person they meet. They need to know we aren't playing and won't take their crap any more. It will end up being the only real solution to the problem. School officials won't do anything that will actually work. They just try to look like they are doing something about it, but usually, they just want to do something that will make everyone think they are doing something.

[DiverDave]

7. I knew nothing about this

But I support them too
It's bullshit to go through life scared. I know.

props steve.

And I'm straight but not narrow.

[WillParkinson]

8. Oh, but it's OK because they were practicing their staunch religious views...

That makes bullying acceptable. Just ask Republicans.