16 votes

French government defends arrest of teen in classroom over transgender bullying claims

9 comments

  1. triadderall_triangle
    Link
    I honestly believe that this should have always been the response to any kind of extended and even nominally provable case of bullying, regardless of the basis (protected or unprotected) behind...

    I honestly believe that this should have always been the response to any kind of extended and even nominally provable case of bullying, regardless of the basis (protected or unprotected) behind it. Bullying a child to the point of suicide is murder. Plain and simple, enough of the kid gloves. Hell, give the parents a chance to correct it and if they don't, throw them in with 'em. Family's tend to instill these kinds of "values" and consequently should jointly go down together for it.

    31 votes
  2. [2]
    Halfdan
    Link
    Those are adults with powers, who actively protected the bullying which lead to a suicide. Would be far more fitting to arrest those. As much as that asshole teen deserved that arrest, it sort of...

    The controversy comes days after it emerged that education officials had sent a threatening letter to the parents of a boy who had complained of being bullied by classmates for months, saying their public statements complaining about the bullying were “unacceptable” and urged them to adopt a “constructive” attitude.
    The boy, identified as Nicolas, 15, later killed himself on 5 September in a Paris suburb, one day after pupils went back to school after the summer break.

    Those are adults with powers, who actively protected the bullying which lead to a suicide. Would be far more fitting to arrest those. As much as that asshole teen deserved that arrest, it sort of look like they choose him as an easy victim.

    28 votes
    1. Foreigner
      Link Parent
      Yeah I read this move as the government trying to over-correct when it came out that their aggressive incompetence (which I'm inclined to call outright malice) lead to a child taking their life....

      Yeah I read this move as the government trying to over-correct when it came out that their aggressive incompetence (which I'm inclined to call outright malice) lead to a child taking their life. They've been caught with their pants down and they need to show they're taking things like this seriously now.

      Having had to deal with the justice system in this country, I can say it is fundamentally broken, especially for victims. Those with more power, money, and influence than others will always have more sway. Many are intimidated by the system itself into silence. Take laws on defamation- you can be sued/go to jail for defamation -even if what you say is true-.

      12 votes
  3. [5]
    smoontjes
    Link
    While it certainly sets an example to arrest the boy in front of his classmates, I don't really know if I agree/disagree with doing so. The bullying was really extreme and absolutely deserving of...

    While it certainly sets an example to arrest the boy in front of his classmates, I don't really know if I agree/disagree with doing so. The bullying was really extreme and absolutely deserving of arrest imo:

    TW: extreme transphobia

    “We’re going to cut your throat” and “I detest your type … go die, go kill yourself”

    13 votes
    1. [4]
      DefinitelyNotAFae
      Link Parent
      I lean towards not wanting the student arrested in school itself. It does less to set the example and more to terrify a bunch of kids who didn't do anything IMO. Word gets around fast, it would...

      I lean towards not wanting the student arrested in school itself. It does less to set the example and more to terrify a bunch of kids who didn't do anything IMO. Word gets around fast, it would have had an impact happening at home.

      5 votes
      1. [3]
        triadderall_triangle
        Link Parent
        It needs to stop being seen as a quaint childhood staple or quasi-right-of-passage. Its wrong and it needs to be extinguished completely

        It needs to stop being seen as a quaint childhood staple or quasi-right-of-passage. Its wrong and it needs to be extinguished completely

        22 votes
        1. [2]
          DefinitelyNotAFae
          Link Parent
          I suppose I don't understand this in response to my comment. I only prefer that police not enter a classroom and arrest someone in front of a bunch of non-involved kids. I think it's bad police...

          I suppose I don't understand this in response to my comment. I only prefer that police not enter a classroom and arrest someone in front of a bunch of non-involved kids. I think it's bad police practice, bad school practice and that there's enough impact from an arrest at home to crack down on literal death threats. I agree with your point, just not sure how it relates to mine.

          11 votes
          1. [2]
            Comment deleted by author
            Link Parent
            1. DefinitelyNotAFae
              Link Parent
              When it comes to kids, yeah they often do. (And politicians. And probably should in general allow most people to surrender and to de-escalate most situations.) And you often pull them out of class...

              When it comes to kids, yeah they often do. (And politicians. And probably should in general allow most people to surrender and to de-escalate most situations.) And you often pull them out of class beforehand. I don't know French policing but if I'm going to advocate for better practices in the US, I'm gonna do it even when the teen absolutely deserves to be arrested and have consequences.

              The other students in the class did not likely benefit from the encounter in any way and probably were impacted negatively. (Scaring teens into behaving has not been shown to have any particular effectiveness).

              21 votes
  4. draconicrose
    Link
    What this child did was serious and wrong. However, a very public arrest in a school is absolutely the wrong way to go about it and screams of convenient scapegoat for the government to act like...

    What this child did was serious and wrong.

    However, a very public arrest in a school is absolutely the wrong way to go about it and screams of convenient scapegoat for the government to act like they're taking bullying seriously following the letter that led to a child taking his life.

    It's traumatizing for the kid, traumatizing for the classmates, and who knows what the victim will go through if some assholes get it in their mind that it was the victim's fault a "bright young man with his whole life ahead of him" got his life destroyed.

    Obviously the threat and behavior had to be addressed bit there are better ways than bringing state violence upon a child.

    Didier Georges, from an education union, said while regulations had been followed for the arrest, “that is not what we recommend for an intervention”.

    An understatement if I've ever read one.

    9 votes