Dad Punishes Daughter After Finding Out She Was Bullying A Classmate
James Holden A father was accused of ruining his daughter's last year of high school after finding out how she was behaving at school.
Posting to the subreddit "r/AITA," he claimed that his daughter's behavior left him with no other choice but to dole out a serious punishment.
He punished his daughter after finding out she was bullying one of her classmates.
In his Reddit post, he explained that he recently found out that his daughter Sam had been part of a group of students who had relentlessly bullied another girl at their school to the point where she had to transfer.
"There was a racial aspect to the bullying, which came as a complete shock since my wife and I truly did our best to raise our 3 kids to be kind and honest individuals," he admitted. When trying to think of what was the best way to punish her, he pointed out that grounding her and taking away her electronics just didn't seem severe enough for being a bully.
After speaking with his wife, they decided Sam wouldn't be allowed to attend her homecoming dance or her senior prom, she wouldn't be getting a car for her 18th birthday, and she would have to delete all of her social media accounts under the supervision of him or her mother.
Photo: Reddit
"Sam begged me to allow her to go to senior prom because it’s a once-in-a-lifetime event, and keep just her Instagram account because it had pictures going back years that weren’t saved anywhere else. I told her that she shouldn’t have been a racist bully," he continued.
His family accused him of being 'too harsh' on his daughter.
His punishment for his daughter wasn't well-received by his parents, who are staying with them, and they accused him of being "too harsh" on his daughter. While they acknowledged that what she did was completely out of line and she deserves repercussions for her actions, they believe making her miss senior prom is going too far.
Despite his parents' opinions, bullying, especially when coupled with racial targeting, can cause lasting emotional and psychological harm to the victim. The punishment this father gave his daughter doesn't even make up for the awful way she treated one of her classmates, but it's a start.
It also seems his daughter isn't willing to take accountability for her actions as she also feels she shouldn't have to miss out on these important milestones, despite her behavior proving otherwise. The father's firm stance against bullying aligns with the important values of respect, kindness, and inclusivity.
By removing privileges such as attending senior prom and receiving a car, he highlights the importance of treating others with respect and understanding, and that if you don't, there are consequences.
Photo: New Africa / Shutterstock
Many people agreed that his daughter's behavior warrants the type of punishment she was given.
"The point of punishing her is for her to learn from this. To become a better person. Often the best impetus for change is when people see you change and reward you for it," one Reddit user wrote.
"So, tell her that homecoming is gone, but if she genuinely learns from this and shows that she is a better person, she might be able to earn senior prom," they suggested. "She’s got to show real change and understanding. She’s got to do something that will really drive home for her how much harm she has done and how wrong her actions have been."
Another user added, "It's extreme yes, but then racially bullying someone to the point that they're so traumatized that they have to move schools is extreme."
"Putting her through these things is going to be rough for you as you're going to have to deal with her reaction and also her disappointment but you're doing what needs to be done to teach her vital life lessons and hopefully help her to move into adulthood as a kinder, more tolerant and respectful person."
Related Stories From YourTango:A third user chimed in, "If she was bullying another girl to the point where her victim switched schools, she's inflicted massive damage on that poor girl's life, damage that may take years to heal, if it ever does. She deserves to find out what it means to miss out on 'once in a lifetime' events."
In the end, the hope is that this experience will be a turning point for the daughter, prompting her to reflect on her actions and actively engage in the process of change.
Nia Tipton is a Chicago-based entertainment, news, and lifestyle writer whose work delves into modern-day issues and experiences.
