Several months ago, we saw the demise of an Anti-Abuse (Anti-Bullying) law because a large group of bigots thought that abusing children in the name of their religion was a Right under the Constitution. Now, we're seeing some of the backlash. A kid is assaulted at the water fountain, and a teacher sides with the abusers, punishing the victim. When the victim stands up to verbal and mental abuse, he is physically assaulted. Moreover, we're seeing the REAL beginnings of an abuse victim. Don't stand up to an authority figure who is abusing you? How many authority figures, such as school officials, police officers, even business supervisors and family members have used such an argument to justify their right to verbally, mentally, physically, and/or sexually abuse others, including adults AND children? How often have we heard "why didn't they report their abuse? They must have been weak, wimps, or even liked the abuse". Even though we are now saying this kid should just take it because it was an authority figure. It's the Parent's fault. It's the music they listen to. It's the computer/video games they play. It's the movies/TV shows/books they are exposed to. But when a kid is assualted first by other students then by an authority figure, whose fault is it? Kids should be seen and not heard. I'm sure a lot of abusers, whether they be child molestors, family abusers, abusers in the schools (from students to faculty), community abusers (like gangs or even gang-wannabes) want you to believe that. That way, when the victim commits suicide, becomes a victim for the rest of their lives, or goes out and strikes back in a wild rampage, the abusers can look all pristine and saintly while spouting all sorts of sensationalistic garbage and spewing out all sorts of scapegoats, avoiding their own responsibility. Kids lie? Maybe. But so do adults. Whether they are abusers OR victims. Wanna come straight out and say every victim who goes to a Rape Crisis Center or Domestic Violence Shelter is a liar and we should close them down altogether? Go ahead. I DARE you. And don't be anonymous about it either. Andrew Rhodes