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Autistic teenager beaten up by bullies finds interesting way to teach them a lesson

AGXStarseed

Well-Known Member
(Not written by me)


Court.jpg

Courageous Gavin Joseph has a powerful response to the bullies who attacked him
(Facebook/ Cortnie Stone)



A teenager with Asperger’s syndrome has given an important lesson to a gang of bullies who beat him up.

Rather than pressing charges, he recorded a 20-minute video about his condition for them to watch and learn about life from his point of view.

Gavin Joseph was tricked by a group of boys into thinking that they wanted to be friends with him, but they then violently attacked him because they felt his condition makes him ‘weird’ and ‘creepy’.

The teenager from Illinois has asked that instead of being punished, the attackers should be better educated about his life and his condition. He has also asked that the assailants each write an essay about Asberger’s and to undertake some community service working with people who have disabilities.

His courage stand against their ignorance was shared on Facebook by his mother Cortnie Stone.

She wrote: “Some kids were talking about how it’s weird that he’s always by himself, attending events alone and watching people, and that it was “creepy” how he wanted to be friends with people he didn’t know.

“Another kid that overheard that conversation decided to take matters into his own hands and become judge and jury, and this is the result of that. He didn’t ask questions, didn’t get to know Gavin, never met him, and didn’t give him a chance to leave.

“He was called to meet someone, surrounded by people he didn’t know, choked, punched, and left laying on the pavement so he would ‘learn his lesson’.

“Gavin is fine. He has mild concussion, a bruised oesophagus, the tip of his nose fractured, and hematoma in his eye, but nothing permanent.

“He did not press charges, but requested their community service be disability related, that they write a paper on Asperger’s, and that they watch a 20 min video statement he taped while their families were present so they could see the damage they did and hear the event from his perspective.”

She added: “I am so proud of him, and I hope a lesson will of this to all that hear about it.”


SOURCE: Autistic teenager beaten up by bullies makes them watch 20-minute video about autism - Americas - World - The Independent
 
That's a shame that some people could be so cruel but good for that young man for such a compassionate and mature response. Hopefully this unfortunate incident will help promote awareness and education.
 
People can be incredibly cruel. I've had it happen to me. I was on stage and there was a heckler in the front row, giving all of us a hassle about being Satan worshipers, I didn't have a snappy come-back like my band mates did but, honestly stated that I was not a Satan Worshiper and, followed Native American Indian beliefs.

That was a mistake. The heckler (a woman) then began chanting "Red is dead" and threw a used tampon at me. Her friends joined in and I go pelted with new and used feminine hygiene products for a minute or two before security could get the audience under control and, remove the heckler that started it all.

I wish I'd known I was an Aspie then, I'd have used the mic to educated that crowd.

I think Mr. Joseph showed maturity and caring for the entire ASD community by attempting to educate rather than just prosecuting his attackers. He is an insightful, thoughtful, creative young man and, hes mother has every right to be proud of him.
 
I hate to be the negative nelly on this one, but that's not going to teach them one thing. I really hope this kid doesn't go on to be victimized any further, and I hope this video empowers him, but the bullies are just going to find newer and more creative ways to hurt him that don't involve direct assault. They'll spread vicious rumors, they'll talk about him to other kids, they'll trash talk him online.

Bullies don't lash out because their ignorant and scared. They lash out because the environment rewards them and allows them to thrive. This punishment is just an over glorified slap on the wrist.
 
True Nate Sean but, it also serves to bring light to the subject of Asperger's and, while the bullies will likely do as you say, other will take note and learn something because of what Mr. Joseph did. Those bullies will never support him but, he will gain the support and, admiration of others around him for his efforts.
 
I hope you're right, I'm just not going to put money on it either. Having Asperger's isn't the issue here so much as the fact that this kid was hurt because someone thought it was okay to manipulate him and violate his body. Their actions have spoken way louder than any words they could write on a piece of paper.
 
I approve of his methods, but not in the same way other people do and I'd probably put a negative spin on his decision. So, um, yes, carry on young'un from Illinois.
 
I hate to be the negative nelly on this one, but that's not going to teach them one thing. I really hope this kid doesn't go on to be victimized any further, and I hope this video empowers him, but the bullies are just going to find newer and more creative ways to hurt him that don't involve direct assault. They'll spread vicious rumors, they'll talk about him to other kids, they'll trash talk him online.

Bullies don't lash out because their ignorant and scared. They lash out because the environment rewards them and allows them to thrive. This punishment is just an over glorified slap on the wrist.
I understand your concern, and you're right that there are multiple, intersecting factors that cause bullying, but effectively reducing bullying involves both educating students about others' differences and putting in place a program to stop bullying when it happens (that staff and, more importantly, peer 'bystanders' can take part in).

Bullying stops being cool when people can understand and sympathize with the victim (which is a common problem with 'invisible disabilities' and especially social impairments--people feel they are in the right because the aspie or whoever is 'rude, arrogant, creepy, scary', etc.). Building empathy is a key part of teaching kids not to bully. Even if the bully is too messed up to learn the lesson, her peers will begin to look down on her. Something like this does make a difference: Teaching Tolerance - The Bully Project (though of course there are other parts to a program like this)

That said, in this case, as a solo effort without peer support, I think the thing that holds the most promise of making a difference is the community service, where they would have to give up their time (punishment) while also learning and relating to people with disabilities (building empathy). A lot of punishment without the latter part only builds resentment or at best resignation, rather than teaching a child why what they did was wrong and what they should be doing instead, helping them take responsibility for their own actions rather than just...reacting.
 
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As a child, I was manipulated that way, and beaten up. So I think it admirable that the kid that got bullied and assaulted, chose the way that he did, to respond.
 
Bullying stops being cool when people can understand and sympathize with the victim (which is a common problem with 'invisible disabilities' and especially social impairments--people feel they are in the right because the aspie or whoever is 'rude, arrogant, creepy, scary', etc.).

I would agree with you accept for the fact that rarely has there ever been a conversation between myself and a bully where the bully asked me to inform them of all of my issues and potential "disabilities" before they began whaling on me. Bullying isn't about education or lack thereof, it's about one person or a group feeling the need to establish dominance over another person or group of people and doing it through force, humiliation or other means.

I fully agree that this video could be a rallying cry against bullying, but I don't think Asperger's should be written on the banner. If this kid didn't have Asperger's or any other diagnosis, would it have been more acceptable for him to have been assaulted?
 
I would agree with you accept for the fact that rarely has there ever been a conversation between myself and a bully where the bully asked me to inform them of all of my issues and potential "disabilities" before they began whaling on me. Bullying isn't about education or lack thereof, it's about one person or a group feeling the need to establish dominance over another person or group of people and doing it through force, humiliation or other means.

I think perhaps you misunderstood my comment. I do not mean that the victim of bullying should do the educating (especially not whilst being bullied!), or that the bullies would 'ask for' such a thing. That is ridiculous. I mean that building empathy is key to reducing bullying--and this is typically done by authorities and peers, as part of the education that takes place before any bullying incidents happen as well as the discipline process that occurs after they do. These are evidence-based practices (referring to social-emotional education programs or guidance programs) that actually reduce bullying incidents as well as boost students' grades. If a bullying victim voluntarily comes forward to help open dialogue with the bullies and educate them, that is admirable, but it cannot be an expectation or requirement, and it should be done with mediation and outside support.

As a teacher (although admittedly a relatively inexperienced one), I was also trained to give guidance to students to help build empathy. It's part of going from the self-centered world of children to the 'mature' world of adult life (and teens, while they may look adult size or crave adult independence, are still not adults developmentally). In my experience, it is far more effective to actually sit down with a student and have them reflect on their misbehavior until they can genuinely feel remorse, than to only suspend them, after which they return having learned nothing and changed not at all.

Yes, it is about power, but children need to be taught productive ways to get social power and they do that when it is clear that 1) there are opportunities for them to gain social power in a more acceptable way, and their progress is recognized 2) the opportunities to bully are dis-incentivized (through lack of peer support by building a tolerant school culture as well as punishment), and 3) empathy is built whenever possible to teach the kids to actually feel sorry for what they did and realize they wouldn't like it being done to them or their little brother, etc.

I fully agree that this video could be a rallying cry against bullying, but I don't think Asperger's should be written on the banner. If this kid didn't have Asperger's or any other diagnosis, would it have been more acceptable for him to have been assaulted?

Of course not. But it is important for kids to be aware of Asperger's and other differences that may exist between themselves and others. It's an important lesson in diversity and tolerance. Many adults could use that lesson, too.

To be clear, I'm not taking a position one way or another on this incident as I don't really feel I know enough of the details. I am just emphasizing that building empathy is a key part of reducing bullying, whether or not the strategy used here is successful at doing that. It's hard to do without outside involvement, which is part of why I think the community service is probably the most promising aspect of this case, but I am not sure how that is being enforced without pressing charges? It's my understanding that community service is actually a common sentence for juvenile offenders? One of many details I feel I'm missing here.
 
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I didn't misunderstand it, I just disagreed with parts of your statement and I wanted to elaborate on why.
 
I didn't misunderstand it, I just disagreed with parts of your statement and I wanted to elaborate on why.
Perhaps I'm confused then, as I agree with most of what you said in your last post and never intended to say anything to the contrary. But no big deal.

By the way, I'm sorry you had such a rough time. That is awful.
 
The part I disagree with is your notion that bullying can be reduced through "education" or a group mentality that says bullying is no longer cool. I can't presume to know what your experiences have been and maybe it's your generation of teacher that really makes a big change, but as I said before, I also can't put any faith that we're going to wake up tomorrow and the headline is going to read "Bullying abolished".
 

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