Forcibly tattooing a boy isn't bullying. It's assault
Tattooing someone against their will is not bullying. It is assault. The difference matters.
This is relevant in the case of a 14-year-old boy who was allegedly tattooed against his will by four or five young men who have been charged with assault, endangering the welfare of a minor, tattooing without a license and other offenses, according to the Smoking Gun.
An arrest warrant affidavit issued by the Concord Police Department in New Hampshire says that assailants told the ninth grade victim, who has learning disabilities and attends Concord High School, that “he was going to get the tattoo whether he liked it or not.” If he tried to run away, they told him, he would be caught and beaten up.
The warrant also said the victim was told he would no longer be bullied if he allowed himself to be tattooed and then agreed.
The victim had an obscenity and a drawing of a penis tattooed on his backside on May 10 after being enticed to a Concord home, the warrant said. Some of the boys attend the same school but are legal adults.
Some of the media accounts of the incident are calling the young men who were arrested “bullies.” If they are found guilty, they certainly will be shown to be bullies, but also criminals who assaulted a student.
Some of the media accounts of the incident are calling the young men who were arrested “bullies.” If they are found guilty, they certainly will be shown to be bullies, but also criminals who assaulted a student.
Bullying is pernicious and dangerous behavior with these three components, as defined by Dan Olweus, creator of the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program:
1. Aggressive behavior that involves unwanted, negative actions.
2. A pattern of behavior repeated over time.
3. An imbalance of power or strength.
2. A pattern of behavior repeated over time.
3. An imbalance of power or strength.
Improving schools by paying teachers to leave
Economist Eric Hanushek summarizes his plan for turning school budget cuts and more federal bailout funds into an opportunity to improve the teaching ranks: "The first-best solution, based on several decades of consistent research findings, is to lay off ineffective teachers selectively while letting class sizes drift up a bit," he writes. "When the bailout ends, schools would be in a stronger financial position because the permanent teacher workforce would be reduced by the slightly larger class sizes, and this workforce would be of higher quality."
District limbers up for stronger Race to Top
D.C. officials are pushing hard to meet the June 1 application deadline for their second shot at the Obama administration's Race to the Top(RTTT) grant competition. A team led by Eric Lerum, chief of staff to deputy mayor for education Victor Reinoso, has been working to shore up the weaknesses that landed the District's round one application in last place among 16 finalists, with 402.6 out of a possible 500 points. Only Delaware and Tennessee made the first cut.
A maximum of $75 million is available in this round, and D.C.'s prospects are fairly bright, principally because Education Secretary Arne Duncan has said that the next group of winners will be much larger, as many as
Texas ratifies conservative new curriculum
Changes minimize references to the separation of church and state.
MORE ON EDUCATION
- Fairfax budget cuts jobs, adds fees
- Opinion: Rhee has made a difference
- Fetus dolls given to young students
- District students want better condoms
- Texas board nears curriculum decision
- D.C. posts significant gains in reading
- Cafritz supports Gray -- and Rhee
- D.C. teachers pact worries charters
- Prince William adopts bonus pay plan
Texas school board member Don McLeroy led the fight to change the social studies curriculum. (Madisonville Meteor)
