Dori Monson
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Bonneville Seattle is raising funds for the construction of a second Fisher House at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Tacoma and we need your help.Donations, outrage pouring in over kids bullying elderly woman on school bus
June 20, 2012 @ 12:29 pm (Updated: 6:26 pm - 6/22/12 )UPDATE More than $585,000 has now been raised for the elderly bus monitor taunted mercilessly by middle school students. The disturbing video went viral this week and has now been viewed over 1,500,000 times on YouTube.
"It is unimaginable, it is so disturbing," says 97.3 KIRO FM's Dori Monson about the video that shows the kids raining down a violent stream of profanity, insults, taunts and threats on Karen Klein. They continue even after bringing her to tears.
But along with the outpouring of support for the woman, there's been a huge backlash against the kids and their parents.
"Any kid that's capable of this level of cruelty has some horrible parenting," Monson said.
The names and addresses of the offenders have been made public and people are blasting them on their Facebook pages. An investigation continues.
Is digital vigilantism fair for these kids? "Absolutely," Monson insisted.
The video is prompting some serious concerns about what can lead kids to become so cruel.
"It's clear that this is not the first time these kids have been cruel in this way. It's clear that they feel confident that they can do it, get away with it, and encourage younger students to participate," said David Boze, 770 KTTH host.
"Back in my day, my bus driver, with his heavy German/Dutch accent, would have stopped the bus, grabbed the oldest two offenders by the ear, and tossed their arses off the bus. They may even have been gripped harshly by the neck if resisted," Boze said.
"Now, that bus driver would be arrested or sued. A TV investigation would take place. Society would wring their hands over the harshness of the driver. So we end up with this. This woman is a BUS MONITOR! If SHE is allowed to be treated this way, how do you think other kids might be treated?"
Klein said on the Today Show Thursday she doesn't know how, but she would like the kids punished.
"It made me feel really terrible, but I will get over it. I've gotten over everything else."
Klein went on to say that she's sorry to the parents who are finding out their children behaved this way because she imagines they don't act like this at home.
"You never know what they're going to do out of the house. They should have been taught to respect their elders, no matter who it is."
97.3 KIRO FM's Dave Ross says it should have a significant impact on the kids, who will grow up one day knowing the video exists somewhere in cyberspace.
This is just awful, and LANGUAGE WARNING: What should happen to these little monsters?
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