My morning routine typically includes tuning into Good Morning America (#teamrobin), which provides me with just enough in current events to keep me connected to America’s subcultures. One particular story caught my interest today on teenage bullying. It centered on a pretty cheerleader that had become the target of several classmates who apparently used all forms of social and traditional bullying to stalk and verbally attack her, even after she had left the school because of it. They even formed a club – the “Kill Katie Klub.”
The “alleged” incident happened over time beginning at Westview High School in San Diego, California to a teen, Katie Uffens. The story so intrigued me that I decided to investigate online, seeking out comments or posts on this story by her own classmates. It didn’t take long to find her detractors at NBC 7 San Diego. The comments are a gripping account of Katie’s story depicting a microcosm of “any privileged high school, USA,” and the perfect contemporary scenario for Lord of the Flies
If transcribed and published, the NBC 7 San Diego posts would showcase the 21st Century “Teenagers Rules of Order,” and a glimpse into the minds of kids who were raised with the “everyone wins” mentality is going to have a hard time when they become adults. I think it might be time to educate the future with rules they should come to embrace. Rule #1 – “Be careful about what you put in writing or say on video.” The 21st Century teen not only has no concept of the consequences words can have, they don’t seem to know when to just shut up.
This “future leader” is setting herself up for a law career:
Agnes OtherBuddy Park, “First of all, the grammar on this article is absolutely atrocious. It’s hideous. I don’t know if you people know this, but it is MORE than okay to use multiple commas when you’re quoting someone. When you can’t even write at a middle-school level it seriously decreases your credibility. [Her superiority is comical when you look at her other comments riddled with grammar and punctuation mistakes]. Rule #2,”If you plan to establish yourself as an expert, then you better be able to stand by it, that or keep your thoughts to yourself.”
Agnes goes on to say that it was all a joke.
“As for the content itself, “I wish someone would kill her” does not equal “I want to kill her.” In fact, they are two very different things. If it went on for a year and there were no attempts on her life, which, obviously there weren’t, then clearly all of this is an overreaction.”
Ummm…nevermind. Rule #3 – “Always read your comments before posting just in case you sound like an idiot.”
One poster, Grace Jeng, seems to think the entire bullying issue is about her:
Frankly, I’d like to say that Katie has said mean and hurtful things to myself before, things that at the time were hurtful. Being the victim of bullying events before, I know that these comments could have been the start of something else altogether. If I hadn’t begun to start avoiding certain individuals, I am sure that I would not be who I am today. However, I would like to state that what happened in the past, stayed in the past. I have no hard feelings for Katie, nor do I harbor any harsh feelings towards the other individuals. Furthermore, to individuals in that were involved in Katie’s bullying: if anyone had reason to hate on Katie, it would be me, and not you. No one should ever be the victim of bullying.
Rule #4 – “It’s not always about you.” Rule #5 – “People hurl unkind words at you until you’re 90.”
For whatever reason, maybe Uffens was mean and let’s just assume she was, a mob begins to target her. The “mob” may have been just a few students, but the “mob mentality” was in full force. Rule #6 – Mobs do not have your back.
Comments posted publicly on social websites went after Uffens. Uffens’ mom spoke with parents of the kids who were bullying her daughter according to NBC 6:
“Her mother Giselle Uffens couldn’t believe it, so she went to the school and to the parents of the suspected ring leaders. “I asked him straight up can your son really hurt my daughter, do you think it’s a joke and he paused and he hesitated and it scared me,” said Giselle.”
Rule #7 – “Useless parents raise useless adults.” There is something disconcerting to a father posting a comment where kids are venting. This quote from a father, Jack Tompkins, on the San Diego 6 website suggests that Uffens is just getting too emotional:
