This video tears me apart to the point it makes me nearly ill to my stomach and my heart truly aches. The atrocious things the students say and do to this woman are completely and entirely vile and inexcusable. Each and every one of these monsters need to be dealt with and given a harsh enough punishment so that they are able to actually feel the pain and torture that they put this poor woman through.
A widower of 17 years, the 68-year-old woman’s name is Karen Huff Klein, and she is a bus monitor at the Greece Central School District in Rochester, NY. While she sits there, several students attack verbally to the point where Karen cries in despair. The bullying includes, but not limited to, physical threats, threats to ransack her place of residence, and cruel comments about her weight and dead mother.
Among the taunts: “Dumb-ass, fat-ass.” “Maybe she is an elephant.” “She’s gonna pick out which kid she’s gonna rape next.” “Karen wants herpes.” “F**king hearing aid.” “I’ll egg your house.” “What’s your address so I can p*ss all over your door.” “I’ll f**king take a cr*p in your mouth.” “You touched her arm flap. It’s all stinky and smelly.” “She probably eats deodorant because she can’t afford real food.” “What size bra are you? Triple sag?”
Bus monitor – Karen Huff Klein – driven to despair by school bullies on school bus
The other two videos are at the end of this posting.
The Greece Central School District
The Greece Central School District was made aware of this troubling video that was posted to YouTube. They immediately activated our district bullying and violence prevention response team to investigate and contacted the Greece Police Department to conduct their own investigation. Currently, the district security staff and Greece Police are interviewing all of those involved. The Greece Police Department has assigned an investigator to partner with the school district. The Greece Central School District is committed to providing students and staff with a safe environment that respects the dignity of all. They do not tolerate harassment of staff or students.
Police said Klein doesn’t want the seventh graders to be prosecuted, as she’s satisfied with the swift community response to the incident. Greece police Capt. Steve Chatterton said the children’s verbal taunts and slurs, which have gone viral in clips posted to YouTube, did not constitute a crime, reports the Associated Press.
However, according to MSNBC, Karen does want the children punished. Klein told Matt Lauer on TODAY Show, Thursday, “I want the boys punished, but I don’t know how. It made me feel really terrible, but I will get over it. I’ve gotten over everything else.”
Karen Klein: Bus Monitor Bullied By Students On School Bus Speaks Out On ‘Today Show’ June 21
Lets Give Karen – The bus monitor – H Klein A Vacation!
A campaign has been started called “Love for Karen Klein” to help raise money to give her a vacation. As a bus monitor she earns $15,506 per school year to sit among the hateful students who hopefully will never reproduce. And remember, she’s been a widower for 17 years now. “Rolling in the dough,” I am sure is not a proper description for Karen’s finances. At the time of publishing this posting, the amount donated is $443,227. More than 18,000 donors from across the country have already donated to pay for Karen to take the vacation of a lifetime, or maybe even retire early. People have given as little as $1 and as much as $1,000. The initial goal reached in a few short hours was $5,000.
When it comes to donations such as this, I cannot confirm the validity of the person and organization raising the funds. They may only give Karen 1% of the total amount, which closes on July 20th, 2012, and keep the rest. That is legal. I did do some poking around on the internet and see that IndieGogo is NOT BBB Accredited. Other than that, I could not find much.
Reddit | Call to Arms!
As is normal for the Reddit community, a Reddit member posted a link to the video along with the title “Call to Arms. Please read.” Reddit user razorsheldon posted the following:
Now, as awful as this was, there was a silver lining in not only the universal condemnation of the actions of these kids, but also in a call for support for this poor woman. Her name is Karen Klein, and if you are so compelled, please feel free to reach out to offer support. She has been a widow for 17 years, has lived in the same town she grew up in and is about to have her 50th high school reunion in the same school district, and deserves so much better than the actions shown by those in this video. Let’s show her that there are still good people out there…
CNN’s Anderson Cooper’s Interview with Karen
Every news media has jumped all over this story, and good for Karen! I hope each and every one of those brats feel not only guilty, but horribly ashamed and embarrassed as they watch the country cry out “foul” to the kids and reach their arms out to Karen in support. Imagine what it would be like to have the whole country hate something you just did. Actually it is more like the world as there have been donations coming in from countries outside of the US. It would be completely devastating and so humiliating, I’m not sure I could ever look myself in the mirror again. I have been trying to think of a just punishment for these kids because I do not think banning them from the bus or sports – as Karen suggests – is enough. They need to feel the pain they inflicted on Karen.
The entire country and world against you seems to fit the bill.
Next video is the interview by Anderson Cooper. Additionally, towards the end, Anderson announces that Southwest Airlines has reached out to CNN as they were extraordinarily touched by Karen’s story. Southwest wanted CNN to let Karen know that they are going to send her and nine people to Disneyland in California for three-nights. Airfare, hotel, car everything paid for.
And nearly a half million in donations so far.
Video: Tonight on AC360: Bullied bus monitor speaks out
Celebrities Respond
Here are some comments from some well-known celebrities.
Ellen DeGeneres:
It breaks my heart. I’m so moved by the donations. Bullying doesn’t end when you grow up. It ends when we stop bullying say.ly/bGm3ANCPiers Morgan:
I think every one of those kids who abused bus monitor Karen Klein should be expelled. Let them pay the ultimate price for their behaviour.Ryan Seacrest:
no one should have to endure something like this. This upsets me bit.ly/PCIoEf
The Public Responds
Here are some responses from the general public.
My Response to Bullied Bus Monitor – Karen Huff Klein
Comments posted on the first YouTube video in this post – I have hopefully weeded out the troll comments….
Just give me 5 minutes in an empty room with each of these bastards and I’ll teach them the? word: RESPECT.
videotitan1
those kids who did this to this lady. does it make you feel happy? do you? feel skinnier now? you immature little shits! -.- you ungrateful fucks have some damn respect !! this video made the news in Australia are you proud now? your known internationally for picking on an old woman !! grow the fuck up
Aiesha Franklin
I only had to watch the first 15 secs of this video and whish i could slap shit out of those lil ungratefull rotten fuckin kids.?
drearaujoa6
I blame jerry springer, mtv chit, snookie, jersey shore chit, simon cowell, rappers, white middle class entitlement, parents? infedility…!!!!
alternativegrunge91
I could barely bring myself to watch the whole thing. I stopped about halfway through and cried. Those kids are made of pure evil, it would’ve taken every drop of goodness in my soul to not beat the living shit out of? them and show them their place in society.
Evanbryner
Wow. I didn’t even get past watching the first 3 minutes before I’d seen enough. I literally felt tears forming in my eyes. I’m a 15 year old boy, and I’m seriously sadden to see what our generation has become. No job could possibly pay her enough to deal with this crap. I honestly feel like I could hug her for hours. I sincerely apologize for how? low this generation of kids has gone.
lobos903
Anyone find out these kid’s phone numbers & facebooks yet?? Fucking sick.
DylanOnDeck
What would you do?
So, my fellow internet friends…. What would you do to your child if you found out they were one of these bullies?
I can think of a thousand things I would do if my child was one of the taunters – then at the same time, I can think of nothing that would have a permanent lesson implanted in their memories. Since this is now worldwide, I simply hope that knowing that millions of people throughout our planet think that you are nothing more than some brown smelly matter scraped off from the bottom of a shoe….
The other two videos from the bus
Bus Monitor Harrasement
Bus Monitor Harrasement 2
References and Related Articles:
GREECE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT: District Statement Regarding YouTube Video
IndieGogo: Lets Give Karen -The bus monitor- H Klein A Vacation! (campaign/donation site)
CNN: Tonight on AC360: Bullied bus monitor speaks out
Yahoo: Boys’ bullying of woman on bus sparks amazing compassion campaign
Reddit: Call to Arms. Please read. By razorsheldon
Reddit: Kids call bus monitor “fat” until she cries and they still don’t stop. By jelloleaf
Huffington Post: Karen Huff Klein Bullying Video: Upsetting Footage Causes Community Outrage
Facebook: Kindness for Karen (A FB page made in her honor and support)
MSNBC Today: School bus monitor doesn’t want ‘really nasty’ kids charged
Gawker: New York Schoolkids Mercilessly Taunt Elderly Bus Monitor [UPDATE]
Tumbler: Karen Huff Klein (tag, various responses and comments from Tumblr users)
Moms Today MSNBC: Dad punishes son with “Homeless” sign
Motley News 
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