What would you have done?
 

A couple days ago driving through my neighborhood I saw a young dark haired shaggy headed boy sitting up on his roof. I know I had to do a double-take.

So yesterday as I was coming home with my kiddo, who attends a different school than we are assigned to, I had to stop for the bus to let off the neighborhood middle-schoolers. By the time the bus pulled away I could see 2 boys jumping on roof-boy. His papers etc were tossed into the street but he was holding his own.

What would you have done? Anything? Nothing?

I would have stopped and broken it up. After that, who knows...depends on the circumstances. I might have considered a talk to the parents of the kid...find out why the hell he was up on the roof.

I would have stopped the fight. If you don't you send a bad message to your own children, "Don't get involved". Plus, think about if it were your son in a fight, two on one. Would you want someone to stop it?

I would've called the cops and broken it up, then sat there with the three of them until someone showed up.

What they realize that two isn't enough and bring a third guy next time & I'm not around? A visit from the police might help adjust their attitudes.

I would've honked a few times before getting out and telling them to get lost.

The police might help, too, but it can take a long time for them to get around to something as small as a fight. Also, there are still some people who don't have a cell phone surgically implanted. ;)


*edited to add:

Also, find out from all 3 kids where they live, and talk to each of their parents.

Would have done about the same!

Yep, me too -- I firmly believe that the world would be a better place if more peoplegot involved. Although one might not get a sunny reception from the families...at least, don't expect one.

Until I found out any more facts,........ I'd start with WI and Cobalt's approach.

You may wanna take the panties off your head, PF.

:eek:

Then the hell with it!

My first instinct would be to stop the fight if I were able....however, being around kids all day (middle school age to high school) I can understand Lilith's question of hesitation.

1 - Had I stopped a fight now, what would happen to the kid at a later date when I wasn't there? Sometimes (as Lilith said - the kid was holding his own) letting the fight run its course may convince the other kids to leave him alone in the future.

2 - At school, we aren't allowed to stop a fight. I know that this sounds terrible, but we aren't the only school system that has this rule. Yes, people - it has come down to liability issues...sucks but true. We had a teacher that waded into a fight and the parents of the boy who started the fight was injured (by whom we don't know) and they sued the teacher...said the teacher injured the boy.

That being said, I would have probably stopped my car and got out of it and tried to stop the fight. I would have gotten names and called parents after that....

I would have stopped the fight, too. No question about it. I would have talked to the beatee and found out his name and then I'd call the school the next day and make an issue about it. I'd then follow up with the school.

Earlier this year, my son was walking home from school and an older boy from his school started bothering him. It ended up with the older boy tripping my son, who then landed on his face, messing up his glasses among other things. I called the school and made a stink. The older boy got suspended and I got reimbursed for the glasses. Our schools don't put up with any crap, and that includes as the students are on their way to and from school.

btw....I stopped the fight ;)

I just parked my car and stared them down, right there and then, middle of the road. Problem was when they let the kid up he went after them. So I backed my car up and followed him just making eye contact with him the whole way. He stopped eventually. Tough baby.

After the kids all dispersed I drove off, but didn't go home. I drove around the block and came back by to make sure it was really over, for now.

Not really sure where all the kids live. These were kids that live near me but not directly in my neighborhood. So although I made no permanent difference maybe they will think twice tomorrow. Oh and I saw an older gentleman come out of his place so maybe he'll keep an eye out too.

Oh and Chey~ my most fave principal here in town, broke a girl's arm when she pulled away from him as he was busting up a fight she started and he got removed and sent to desk duty for the district.

Even if that boy was "holding his own", it's still chickenshit for those two others to gang up on him. Even though they might all beat the crap out of each other tomorrow, at least they didn't yesterday.

To not have done something because "it'll happen again", is alot like not doing anything when a toddler is in the street, because it'll happen again.

I agree...and I've been teaching long enough to where I feel responsible for every child not just mine.

I would have broken up the fight.

I had a similar experience last year where some middle-schoolers were fighting on a side street. I leaned on my horn to get their attention, got out of the car and that was enough to send them scurrying away.

rabbit

i would have done what lilith did. espescially if the kids looked tuff. i know this will soung craggy but kids can be crazy obnoxious these days. i've seen teens i wouldn't want to cross in a dark alley and i wouldnt be willing to provoke them or direct their anger at me or my kid. i would have stayed close to my car just in case they came after me, but still tried to break it up.

I,definately,do NOT believe in not getting involved.I have interfered in such a thing before,only it was alot more than two on one.I was 17 when I graduated.In growth,I didn't catch up with the other boys,until I was about 15.If someone,had a bad day,it was-Let's kick Irishs ass,he's smaller.I know what that one kid feels like.On the other hand,it also gave me my never give up
attitude.I also told my daughters,when they were kids,not to take any CRAP from anyone & to stick up for each other. Irish
P.S.It also gave me,my motto!
"A quitter never wins & a winner never quits!"

I knew Lil broke that shit up!

I walk my dog a lot in the 'hood and one day saw a young punk going near an elderly lady. I was all over that kid like white on rice.

You see it happening, you know it's wrong, you're able to stop it, you do.

i'd have tryed to stop the fight and call the cops right then. usually talking doesn't hellp with those "violence-solves-any-problem-kids". but they usually grab their feet, when they see someone comes to help their victim.

You stop the fight, however you're able. Yeah, it may happen tomorrow, or a block over. It may be that the roof kid was getting thrashed for beating the hell out of one of those boys the day before. Doesn't matter, you don't have the back story, and you're not a judge anyway. You've got kids fighting, and you stop it the one time you can. I know it's not an original thought, but I can't help feeling that a lot of societie's ills come from us acting a lot less and blaming a lot more. So when you see something, you step up.

Because I wound up in a lot of fights for the first few years of school, before I got a rep as a tough little shit not to be messed with, and my parents never ever knew.....I'd go knock on the door where you saw roof kid perched, or at least put a note through it. Sounds crazy, but parents aren't ALWAYS the most observant creatures.

G

I'd have broken it up and given those kids a serious talking to if they'd stood still long enough to listen. I'd have expected some idle threats and verbal abuse as they ran like hell. Typical today teens but I'd have had to stop the fight and see if I couldn't scare a little change of heart into them. Oddly enough I just broke up a fight between two brothers. I've helped raise these two and it surprised me they started up but the eldest had been in the beer a little too deep and was 10 feet tall and bulletproof. It's funny how quickly he relented when he made his best lunge to get past me and ran into me full force without so much as moving me an inch. He seemed to rethink his position on matters at that point. I'm only 4 inches taller and outweigh him by 80 pounds. LOL

Thank goodness all the children at the school I work in are under 12yrs old. But I have worked at the high school and had to step in to break up fights. It's nice that most of the kids in town know me and all it takes is a stern look for them to back down.