Lawyer: Reno boy shot by school cop had been bullied, beaten

[Feeling the Bern]

33. When I taught in the States, no one bullied in my class. First day of class, someone did it in my

class always as I taught HS history. The excuse was always "who cares. He's just a freak/nerd/geek, etc." The class would agree.

I'd let it go. Second time, I'd pounce. I actually got into a bully's face and told him to try that on me and see how far it gets him. He told me he was a lineman on the football team. I said so what? So was I. He told me benched 215. I told him I benched 335. What's his point?

The kids that got bullied found sanctuary in my classroom which is why I ate lunch in my classroom and never really left except to go to the bathroom. It was one the one class and I was the one teacher that defended them. . .physically if I had to.

You don't know how many kids I had to talk down from doing something like columbine in my classroom. You don't know how many parents of bullied students said I was a Godsend for their kid and cried because I actually cared.

Why did I? Other than it being the right thing to do, I know about being bullied. . .for being too tall, too big, too smart, too Jewish and too whatever. . .by kids, teachers, principals and family. Its effects last forever. I still have self-image problems and I'm built like Stone Cold Steve Austin now.