Removed #1 Posted October 11, 2011 Report Share Posted October 11, 2011 http://www.ottawacitizen.com/life/irate+after+teen+ganged+being+redhead/5482546/story.html WINDSOR, Ont.  About 20 Tecumseh, Ont., high school students could face discipline after a red-headed schoolmate was kicked repeatedly Thursday as part of a bullying campaign inspired by the animated TV show South Park. Gwendolyn Russell, 14, was kicked more than 20 times during Kick a Ginger Day, her mother said. "I'm infuriated," said Samantha Russell. "There should be zero tolerance for something like this where students gang up on a kid." Russell said she was travelling to her human resources job in Chatham, Ont., when her daughter called in tears around 8:20 a.m. The Grade 9 student suffered bruises to her legs from blows that ranged from hard kicks to taps, Russell said. Gwendolyn left school in mid-morning when she was picked up by her grandmother. The large majority of kids involved in Thursday's incident were believed to be in Grade 9. Russell said at least four other red-haired girls also were kicked. School administrators at L'Essor secondary school near Windsor, acted swiftly, suspending four male students from participating in the next junior high school football game after they were seen on video kicking the girl. More penalties were being handed out through the day, although school board officials and administrators didn't give many details, citing privacy. "With any incident we have policies and procedures we follow," said Joe Picard, superintendent of human resources for the French Catholic District School Board. "There is an investigation and we will decide on measures that are appropriate. That information will be shared directly with the parents of those students to whom discipline is imposed." Kick a Ginger Day was inspired by a 2005 episode of the Comedy Central show South Park which attempted to satirize bigotry by featuring hate speech against "Gingers." But the comedic intent has been lost at schools across Canada and the U.S. where students have faced assault charges and suspensions for attacking redheads. Picard, who has red hair, said he had not heard of Kick a Ginger Day until Thursday's incident. "This behaviour isn't acceptable," he said. "As such, steps and measures will be taken. Above that, you need to be proactive in teaching empathy to the kids and social responsibility. "We will talk to the kids that this is not acceptable behaviour. You can't be doing this to other people. It's not right. This has to be a teachable moment, that this is not how you behave and there will be consequences for their actions." Gwendolyn, whose long bright red hair frames her pale, freckled skin, had problems with Kick a Ginger Day when she was in elementary school, her mother said. She stayed home from school last year on the designated day that her peers had assigned on Facebook or through online conversations. Russell said Gwendolyn, who did not want to comment Thursday, had hoped that among more mature high school students, such attacks would be a thing of the past. "I think they get into a mob mentality and when in Grade 9, people are just trying to find their identity and not stand up," Russell said. "(Gwendolyn) is upset, she hoped this kind of thing wouldn't happen when she started high school." Russell, who has not complained to police, said she hopes all the students who kicked her daughter will be suspended from school  not just a football game  to send a strong message. © Copyright © The Windsor Star Read more: http://www.windsorstar.com/life/Grade+girl+attacked+Kick+Ginger/5482546/story.html#ixzz1aTaRrFAM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted October 11, 2011 Report Share Posted October 11, 2011 omg how awful!! I dare anyone to kick me and see what happens! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Removed #1 Posted October 11, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 11, 2011 Some things to keep in mind... The episode aired in 2005 Teenagers know that kicking people is wrong....even if a show in poor taste with animated fictional children who use obscene amounts of profanity suggests otherwise in jest...small children, teenagers and adults when asked 'is it okay to beat people up because you don't like their hair color?' will for the most part say no...or some other version of 'no...what is wrong with you' if you were to ask them... Sooooo is only suspending 4 kids from a football game going to do anything to remind kids that when you beat people up there are social consequences...ooooor is this going to be yet another lets punish the few and let the others off the hook because...*insert stupid more than likely monetary funding based reason here* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cathy Posted October 11, 2011 Report Share Posted October 11, 2011 WTF??!?! I'd like to see them treat it as a hate crime. I don't see how it's any different, singling people out as targets of violence because of some random trait. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elyse Posted October 11, 2011 Report Share Posted October 11, 2011 I hate this stupid "kick a ginger day". Even though I don't have red hair, I find its really stupid and should be considered as a racist hate crime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BingBlaze n Skyla Posted October 11, 2011 Report Share Posted October 11, 2011 wtf!? who even thinks copying a tv show is funny!? southpark bugs me so much Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raindog Posted October 11, 2011 Report Share Posted October 11, 2011 I hate this stupid "kick a ginger day". Even though I don't have red hair, I find its really stupid and should be considered as a racist hate crime. Please - no more "hate crime" nonsense. If you beat someone up - that is a crime - no matter why you do it and it should be treated accordingly. Calling something a "hate crime" is unnecessary and divisive. My son was recently mugged by a gang of Somali kids - it was recorded as a crime and the police spent exactly zero time investigating it. If a Somali kid had been mugged by a gang of white kids, it would have been recorded as a "hate crime" and the police would have spent significant amounts of time on an investigation - divisive and unfair nonsense! Incidentally, I've been ginger all my life and have never been bullied because of it - mind you I have always been a big fit rugby playing type, so I guess the bullies would have been taking a bit too much of a risk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elyse Posted October 11, 2011 Report Share Posted October 11, 2011 Please - no more "hate crime" nonsense. If you beat someone up - that is a crime - no matter why you do it and it should be treated accordingly. Calling something a "hate crime" is unnecessary and divisive. My son was recently mugged by a gang of Somali kids - it was recorded as a crime and the police spent exactly zero time investigating it. If a Somali kid had been mugged by a gang of white kids, it would have been recorded as a "hate crime" and the police would have spent significant amounts of time on an investigation - divisive and unfair nonsense! Incidentally, I've been ginger all my life and have never been bullied because of it - mind you I have always been a big fit rugby playing type, so I guess the bullies would have been taking a bit too much of a risk. Sorry, that's not what I exactly meant. Of course, all cases should be treated like crimes (ie; physical or verbal assaults in this case), but in this particular case...people were only targeting those with red hair...which could be seen as a 'hate crime' or as discrimination, because they would be singling out one group of people. Just my opinion. But in any case, hurting any person is wrong...I agree. Too bad those kids aren't held 'responsible' for their own actions under the eye of the law...I wonder if their parents would be charged, then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex_240 Posted October 11, 2011 Report Share Posted October 11, 2011 thats just sick!............sums it up really Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Removed #1 Posted October 11, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 11, 2011 As a parent I'm bothered that the school only seems to be punishing 4 kids... As a citizen, I'm fairly angry at the mother for choosing to NOT press charges...if that were my kid I'd be all.so you have to do paperwork on 20 juvenille delinquents...do it...give them all a record...mob mentallity is no excuse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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