As Plato once famously said: “Be kind for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” That sure is a saying to live by, right? After all, we can all agree that bullying is awful and should be handled appropriately. Still, while that old adage may ring true, sometimes — from an adult perspective, anyway — it feels like the right thing to do is to get involved with the situation and attempt to stop or challenge the bully in a bid to make a lasting and positive impact. Thing is, that’s easier said than done, as this father soon discovered. Basically, a dad based in the U.S., witnessed his son being bullied on school property. Instead of letting it slide, however, the father confronted the bully, though the altercation didn’t quite go as one would expect.
The 37-second clip takes place outside of the school, and sees a man in black shorts, a grey t-shirt, and a pair of black sandals approach the alleged bully. Other students are milling around in the background as the incident unfolds. It appears that the footage is being recorded by another pupil. “Think you’re f***ing cool, bud? You think you’re f***ing cool?” the father exclaims as he bumps into the teen with his belly. The man stands eye to eye with the pupil in a threatening manner staring at her as he backs her into a corner of the school building.
“Well, wanna pick on some more kids? You wanna pick on some more kids?” he asks. While he’s confronting the student, his son can be seen attempting to calm the situation down by walking over and trying to split the duo up. His father simply pushes his son away, however. “Think it’s f***ing funny? You think it’s funny?” he declares while he’s face to face with the alleged bully.
Next, the man notices that the altercation is being recorded and turns to face the camera, saying under his breath, “I don’t care.” As the situation escalates and the pupils who’re witnessing the altercation become more rowdy and noisy, it becomes increasingly difficult to make out what is being said. However, in a shocking twist, another student runs over and pulls down the father’s shorts, resulting in a rather awkward moment between the bully and the victim’s father. “You got that on video?” the dad exclaims as the clip comes to a close.
With the footage going viral right now, the internet was quick to chime in. One Redditor lamented:
They just bullied his dad too😣
ChaosApple11
Meanwhile, other netizens were left feeling sad, as they reflected on the gravity of the situation. One wrote, “Two of my friends have kids in middle school who are getting bullied. They really don’t know what to do. It sucks, one friend was in tears over how hurt her daughter is. Obviously this is not the answer.”
While the father’s intentions may’ve meant well, it’s clear that his approach to the situation was far too threatening and lacked tact. Ultimately, if you or a loved one are currently experiencing issues related to bullying, these websites offer free advice as to what to do if a situation like this arises: