An Upside to the Bus Monitor Story

The disturbing video of 68-year-old bus monitor, Karen Klein, being relentlessly bullied by a group of middle school aged children for 10 long minutes was seen around the world after going viral on YouTube last week. Though the content of the video is hard to watch, the story may actually have an upside.

Many who viewed the video immediately felt not only sorry for the bus monitor and enraged at the students but also a need to do something. Toronto native, Max Sidorov, had the idea to start an internet vacation fund on Indiegogo.com allowing anyone to make a donation to send Karen Klein on a dream vacation.

The original goal of the fund was to raise $5000, but has since surpassed this enormously with Mashable reporting a more than $600,000 honey pot thus far (and there are still a few weeks left to go). And the icing on the cake; it’s all tax free because it has come in the form of a cash gift to the recipient.

Incidentally, folks have begun another internet fund collecting donations for Sidorov, the man responsible for starting Karen Klein’s fund. The current total on this fund is $4,000.

Since the bullying video went viral Klein has received written apologies from the boys who harassed her delivered to her doorstep by police. When asked whether she felt she could accept the letters of apology she told CBS This Morning: Saturday, “I'm glad they had to do it. I think - they're a little short. I guess I'll have to accept them. Because probably, this is as good as it's gonna get, if you know what I mean.”

What was your reaction to the video of Karen Klein being tormented by these young students?

What do you think of the subsequent outpouring of support Klein has received since her story went viral?

By connie0908
06.26.12

This is so sad I hate seeing kids get bullied, to see that even when your older you get bullied really breaks my heart...
By alj645
06.26.12

It breaks my heart to know that children can be so cruel and disrespectful.
By MadHatter
06.26.12

I think it would break just about any person's heart (if they have one to begin with) if they see an elder start to break down a cry. What those kids did to her was inexcusable. I wouldn't accept their apology at all. The kids were instructed to either their parents or public defender to write an apology letter to the woman in order to lessen the hate calls and letters they were receiving as well as lessen their punishment probably. They do nothing unless it benefits themselves somehow. The poor lady had been through a lot, and to have one of the kids push a sore spot when laughing and joking about if she had kids, that she hoped the commit suicide?? sure they didn't know that she did have a son who did commit suicide 10 years ago, but to bring back old wounds like that.
By MadHatter
06.26.12

god bless her. She doesn't make enough to handle this amount of mental abuse. The parents should be ashamed of having these little monsters, and for not raising them up properly. I especially feel bad for their grand parents to see their own grand kids acting in this manner.
By danar63
06.26.12

I am a grandma and if one of my grandchildren ever did this to anyone they would have to answer to me.. I have always told my kids that bullying was never acceptable and if they ever got bullied I would take care of it but if they were the bully then they would be wishing I wasn't their mom.. I think these kids parents should be a shamed of themselves because a bully isn't formed overnight. These kids should have had to do more than just an apology letter, I am sorry but I think they should have to do community service in a nursing home or do lawn work for the elderly for the summer. I think its nice they raised money for a vacation for this woman but can that erase the pain and abuse she had to listen to? By the way this woman is a hero because she kept her cool when most might have exploded and could have acted out towards these kids..
By Deeishere
06.27.12

I did not watch the video....I can't bear to watch it. I am glad that she received a huge support from people and the money. This shows how there are still good people out there and they care. I am glad that the boys had to say they are sorry but they should be punished. I wonder what was the reaction of the parents. Sadly, these kids may get a lot of bad behavior from T. V and the music that teaches kids to disrespect authority. I am glad that good came out of this evil.
By sneepy
07.05.12

I'm curious if these kids' parents are out making meth or hanging out at the country club pool all day. Also in many states, new laws severely tie a judge's hands so that they cannot give the precious babies more than "a good talking to" or slap on the wrist. There's no incentive to behave or follow laws bc there's little-to-no consequence for a juvenile's misbehavior for the most part.
By Kabris
07.14.12

this story broke my heart, these middle schoolers were so mean to the bus monitor.

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