A Texas mother took it upon herself to discipline her son after discovering an important aspect of his behavior. The boy had been creating disturbances at school, prompting school administrators to inform his mother that he was acting as a bully towards other students.
The Texas mother revealed that her son had been behaving inappropriately by insulting other students, calling them “idiots” and “stupid.” In response, she made him wear a T-shirt that stated, “I am a BULLY,” aiming to highlight his behavior at Greenleaf Elementary School within his community.
She was aware that other students at the school had heard about her son’s mistreatment of his peers. To show she believed their accounts, she made him wear a T-shirt that publicly shamed him in front of hundreds at the school and thousands online who viewed her Facebook post. Below is an image of the T-shirt:
“He was calling other boys ‘stupid’ and ‘idiots,'” said Star, the Texas mom who requested to be referred to by her first name only, in an interview with KTRK-TV. “I have an old-school parenting style. I don’t baby my children or shield them from the realities of the world.”
Star aimed to let as many people as possible know about her son’s bullying, so she shared a photo of him wearing the T-shirt on her Facebook account. She added, “I posted this to connect with the parents of any children my son may have bullied, so they could each receive a personal apology.”
Despite some believing Star’s punishment for her son’s bullying was excessive, she remained firm in her decision and defended herself against online critics. “I wanted to understand what he took away from the experience, and he told me, ‘I learned that I didn’t like how it felt, and I don’t want anyone else to feel that way because of me,'” Star said. “That is precisely what I wanted him to learn.” Experts in child development do not endorse Star’s approach to discipline.
While her son had been bullying other children, a child psychiatrist from Baylor College of Medicine criticized Star’s approach to disciplining him. “It’s not advisable to shame your child or reinforce a negative identity in an elementary school child,” the psychiatrist stated. “She should seek support, and the school could be a helpful resource.” Despite facing criticism on social media and across the internet, Star asserted that her son’s school district supported her decision. Splendora ISD stated, “Parents have the right to make important decisions and take certain actions for their child.” What are your thoughts on this mother’s approach to punishing her bully son?
