Thursday, April 03, 2008

Fayetteville, Who's the Bully?

The Northwest Arkansas Times did the job that the NY Times should have done a whole lot better. While the NY Times portrayed Billy Wolfe as the victim and the Fayetteville School District as unfeeling and uncaring, the NWA Times found a different story. The picture emerging isn't quite matching the story the Wolfe's are telling. Oh yes, Billy has taken some hits from students, but Billy, it seems, is very good at bulling himself.
I find it interesting that everyone is taking the school district to task for not protecting Billy better, but my question is why hasn't the school protected the other students from Billy? If what students are saying is true about Billy, isn't there any concern on the school's part that Billy's actions against other students might become more aggressive. It's even more worrisome in that Billy's parents are unwilling to believe that it's their son that causing problems. If I were a parent I'd be concerned that Billy might actually come to school with a weapon and begin killing people.
In any case, the Wolf's use of national publicity isn't working well for them. In the past students have avoided Billy to escape his taunting, now I bet they avoid him like he has the plague. I wonder, has any one the courage to be his friend?

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think it is absolutely dispicable the way your town is treating Billy Wolfe. How dare you call yourselves Christians!!!
While I am not a Christian ( I am Jewish.) I believe Jesus stood up for the weak and helpless. Valerie, the video evidence is clear that Billy is being bullied. (Attack at the school bus, attack on the bus.) And the evidence is there online of students making dispicable gay bashing attacks against Billy and of people bragging how they beat up Billy. And the rumors about Billy being a bully are nothing more than hearsay. At least Billy and his mother went on national television and identified themselves. The bullies have not-as far as I am concerned they are nothing but cowards.

When are the so called "adults" in your community going to start acting like adults and make sure that the bullies are accountable for their actions? You sure set a nice example for your children. Is it going to take another Columbine High School for you all to wake up and smell the coffee?

Valerie said...

I'm not saying the Billy wasn't hit by other students. I am saying that there's more to the story than what the Wolfe family is proclaiming. When I read the article in the NY Times, something in the article sent off warning bells that the Wolfe's weren't telling the whole story. What's been unraveling is that Billy has problems; it isn't just other students but parents, teachers, school administrators and police. I have a tendency to believe a whole community rather than one family.

Anonymous said...

Bullies are con artists,Val. They are good at manipulationg the whole community into standing behind them.

You say you tend to believe the entire community. Well, Val, my ancesters in Nazi Germany were butchered because the entire community believed the vicious lies spread by the propaganda machine against the jews.

Children are cruel. They tend to either stand behind bullies or stay silent because they are afraid of being bullied themselves. They want to be part of the group. It doesn't surprise me that they are all speaking against Billy. I speak from personal experience Val.

I think the videos showing Billy being assaulted are clear. Billy is being treated the same if not worse than a rape victim who in the past was accused of asking for it by wearing provocative clothing or being sexually promiscuous. Billy's character or lack of character is totally irrelevant to the assaults against him. Using his character as an excuse is just an excuse for the criminal (yes, bullies are criminals) to not be responsible for their actions.

Val, I'm sure you are a good person. It is obvious that bullying is a serious problem in your school community.(I am aware of the lawsuit over 10 years ago when the district paid $250,000 for the assualt against the gay student.) I feel you as adults have a responsibility to your children to take bullying seriously. Do you honestly think the Wolfes would have brought this lawsuit and suffer the rage of your community if this were not a last resort? Please, Val, please Fayetteville, make it your top priority to stop school bullying before there is further tragedy.

Valerie said...

Whoa! You really lost me when you start comparing Fayetteville with Nazi Germany. I believe your passion has overridden your reason.

Anonymous said...

For anyone who cares about the truth.
My daughter is a student at Fayetteville High School and she was floored when she saw the coverage over these bullying claims of students towards Billy Wolf. She has told me many examples of this troubled child, one with him harming a dissabled students cat others with him beating up smaller kids and now people and the media is jumping on the bandwagon when they don't know anything about our community. I grew up in a time when racial violence was rampant in our schools, not here in Fayetteville but in nearly all southern cities as well as northern cities where forced bussing imposed abuses on kids of all races. Fayetteville is one of the safest and most non violent cities in the US. That is one reason why so many people have been moving here for a long time. Stop accusing our community of unsubstacciated accusations when you don't have a clue.Those videos are a snippet of something that happened not the entire story. Personally, I'll listen to my daughter and her friends who have never been accused of violence against anyone. A fact that can not be said of Billy Wolf.

Valerie said...

Thank you W. Graupner for your comment! I appreciate that a parent of a child from the Fayetteville High School is speaking out. I've been hearing and reading about what parents and students have been saying about Billy. I'm glad you took advantage of the opportunity here.

Anonymous said...

To W Graupner: Your allegations that Billy is in fact the bully is nothing more than hearsay. Did your daughter see Billy beating up smaller kids or abusing the cat? So far all of these allegations by your daughter and the rest of the students at Fayetteville are based upon nothing but hearsay. I saw the video of Billy being attacked at the school bus. Plus the website Everybody Hates Billy Wolfe. Once again, bullies are good at getting the rest of the student population to stand behind them-students want to be part of the crowd and/or are afraid of becoming bullying victims.

W. Graupner and Val, a child's life is at stake and all you care is about the reputation of your precious community. The evidence is clear to me that Billy is being bullied and you "adults" are not lifting a finger to help him.

If you think there are two sides to this story, ok. Why don't you try to find out what is in fact the truth? If Billy indeed is telling the truth and you do nothing to stop this evil in your community, you are just as guilty as the bullies.

Anonymous said...

I am a former student of Fayetteville public schools, a current parent of Fayetteville students and a teacher in another district. Fayetteville has a deep-seated culture of bullying. It has been going on for decades. I think that they are trying now, but it is so little, so late. My own son has been characterized like Billy as the problem. Parents worry that he is going to bring weapons to school. Yeah, he's pretty angry because your precious little darlings have made his school experience TORTURE for years. Same schools, younger siblings of the same kids that bullied Billy. Who knows why kids pick a target but when they do, don't expect the target to respond well, they are kids. That's why we're supposed to protect them from bullies. FPS has a cancer. It's time to seek treatment.

Anonymous said...

For those of you in doubt about Billy Wolfes claim, look at the 33 page law suit against the school on the my space for Billy Wolfe.

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=363064554

Justin said...

Wow,

As someone who was bullied in school, I understand Billy. Shame on any parent who tries to turn the blame on the one being bullied. That's just crap. He might have a mouth on him, but that does NOT justify any sort of violence. It's up to you as parents to start doing a better job BOO to you.

Anonymous said...

This kid is a bully himself to those smaller and weaker. And his taunting of other students causes them to retaliate. This kid and his parents are just trying to get money or a reality show.

Anonymous said...

I find the reaction of the school and community to be quite disturbing. Their response seemed like a canned response just to shut people up. There is no place in schools for bullies period. For the ones who bullied Billy Wolf AND for Billy Wolf if the counter claims can be proven.