I was picked on and swallowed my pride a lot as a kid.

When my kid was picked on, I told him to fight back if necessary. He may get suspended, but he wouldn't be in trouble from me.

He's now 16. A couple weeks ago, he stood up for himself. Against a guy who outweighed him by 65 pounds. Who knew how to fight.

Now I have to teach him "discretion is the better part of valor." Or, "don't be stupid."

woodpecker from mars: "maybe your son is sending signals he wants to be bullied."

Jesus Christ, that's some of the stupidest BS I've ever heard.

He was arrested for sticking a drum stick (the musical kind) up another kid's ass.

Well, at least it was the musical kind. Although the chicken kind isn't nearly as long. Tough choice.

yay for zero tolerance!

no wonder kids are going nuts these days.

Read the article. It sounds like some guy was verbally harassing him and he responded by punching the guy.

He started the fight when he threw the first punch.

SchlingFo: Although, in schools nowadays, the best way to handle being bullied would be to go to an internet cafe, set up a free email address, create a Myspace page with the bully's personal info, and detail plans about going on a school shooting spree.

Send an anonymous phone call/email regarding the Myspace page to the school authorities.

Remind me not to mess with SchlingFo. Jesus, what an awful mess to have to dig yourself out of.

It would have been better to have dealt with the bully off campus and to beat the ever living shiat out of him.

Life's not fair. Hell, if the people picking on the kid were privileged white kids, it'd be a good life lesson of what to expect in the real world. And really, isn't that school is for?

It's not an uncommon concern for parents to be upset and concerned about their child being disciplined," said Tony Pickett with Henry County schools.

I need this man in my department of confusing redundancy department

I never really got picked on regularly in school myself. Except for when high school came along.

I decided freshman year that since we could wear anything we wanted (middle school restricted us to a handful of primary colors, of which I got busted for wearing the wrong SHADE of green. That was quickly overturned when they couldn't figure out exactly what shade I was wearing and said the rule was any green) so I wore tie-dye as I enjoyed colors, and still do. I was a damn macaw in a school of peahens, so of course someone was bound to notice.

These three guys who were apparently friends were friendly with me in my Electronics class, thinking I was a sophomore, about the same time they figured out I was a freshman they decided that tie-dye meant you were gay, and thus that was the spiel for the entire year. Teacher didn't care but he was the type to, probably more "hey he's not asking for help and isn't in any obvious pain so I'll let him beat the lights out of them", he was one of the best teachers I ever had, just one to let people solve their own problems before butting in.

It never really stopped, they were just the type to be afraid of being gay themselves so they just mocked any perceived threats, real or not. My reputation amongst people I knew was strong as I was the go to guy for ANY bit of information, big or small. Virtually everyone knew of me and thus had no reason to pick on me. Being built like a lineman helped albeit I am only 5'7. Wrestling coach made an attempt at recruiting me, but as one of his members told me I should shave my chest in math class once that rather ended that as a possibility.

Elementary school we did have a quasi-school bully. He ended his reign as he was tired of being universally hated, and at most he would just go around and piss people off. Nothing physical.

Then again, the kid in this story actually sounds like he was picked on, so he isn't really like them anyway.

Harris and Klebold were mocked nearly every day by other students.

My son is almost 14 and scrawny, and he's a wiseass, so he gets bullied a bit. I've always told him that he can never throw the first punch, but if some other joker does, then he should go batshiat crazy and fly into the guy.

He's afraid of getting hurt, and I tell him that more often than not, he WILL get a bit hurt but the result would be that the bully will leave you alone because he doesn't really want anyone fighting back, and he'll get more respect from other prospective bullies. So far he hasn't had to fight, but he is standing up more for himself and seeing that a lot of times the bullies just walk away.

/The "Victory" scene from last week's Entourage was great!