Journalist has Harsh Words for Teachers about Bully

[Wolvie]

Over at gamepolitics.com (http://www.gamepolitics.com/) they have an editorial up about how teachers need to forget about all the Bully controversy they've stirred up:

Bully…

It’s back and so is the absurd controversy surrounding it.

Earlier this week, GamePolitics reported on an international coalition of teachers who are concerned about the negative effects Rockstar’s game could have upon release. Seemingly unaware of the fact that Bully has been out for well over a year, they are still calling for retailers to ban the game.

A recent editorial in the Globe and Mail has a few harsh words for the teacher group.

They seem to think that the young generation will become a veritable Hitler Youth of bullying automatons if exposed to this silly, satirical video game…

This gives little credit to young people’s intelligence and ignores the role of parents in helping their children screen out or deal with negative influences. In Bullying: Scholarship Edition, the teachers have found a convenient scapegoat for a serious social problem.

Nor is the editorial’s author impressed with the general controversy surrounding the title.

There’s more than a little hysteria at play here. One needs to view Bullying: Scholarship Edition to grasp the extent of it. It will be immediately obvious to any viewer, even children under 10, that the video game is a satire on hideous boarding schools, a sort of Roald Dahl gone interactive… Of course it exploits the very violence it satirizes - it is a video game, after all - but it is no less obvious a fantasy than Bugs Bunny, and about as harmful.

I couldn't agree more. It's a game, it's satire, not a "Columbine simulator" as some would have us believe.

[Dr.Finger]

Yar, be ye removin' thar signature when ye be submittin news matey!

[Inspector Fowler]

<Helen Lovejoy>Oh, won't somebody think of the children?</Helen>

Personally, I wouldn't mind paying an extra $2-3 per game if all the money went to a pack of vicious, mad-dog lawyers who sued everybody who defamed a video game. You'd think twice about making claims you can't substantiate if your teacher's union had gotten sued for it last year.

[Intruder]

:( This saddens me. As a teacher and administrator, and finally a gamer I know that this is bull. Most kids out there that are pains, bully's or just plain jerks are so because of a few different factors, most of which revolve around their family life, not a video game such as Bully.

Not all teachers are idiots and believe crap like this...these teachers are ill-informed yes men that have probably never even played the game, seen the game, or anything of the sort.

Makes me sad that these educators decided to take such a stance before educating themselves on the truths at hand.

[LongStepMantis]

A small nitpick on their own article.

The game is "Bully"...it isn't called "Bullying". That just helps it sound like something that teaches or encourages bullying, when the majority of the time, it's you who has to fend of bullies.

[oldjadedgamer]

Bugs Bunny was worse, advocating cross dressing to children.

[LongStepMantis]

Bugs Bunny was worse, advocating cross dressing to children.

It's funny to think about the content of old Looney Tunes cartoons, and realize that we never saw any problems with any of it. At least I never did.
Now they say Speedy Gonzales is a racist stereotype, Bugs Bunny promotes cross-dressing and gender confusion, etc. I know some of their older cartoons are racist and whatnot, but those are usually the ones that pre-date what we know as Looney Tunes.

And it makes me weep that the PC hounds can't just let kids be kids and be silly. Everyone is so worried that X show will make them into a serial killer, or X game will make kids sexual predators. If someone becomes deranged, just don't see it being because of the TV shows they watched or games they played.

I think it's probably because they were fucked up to begin with.

[Evil Avatar]

Bugs Bunny was worse, advocating cross dressing to children.

And guns. Don't forget about all the gunplay between Elmer and Buggs and all those times poor Daffy got blasted.

[Rommel]

The article below it, where Jack Thompson mailed a bomb threat to the Florida bar and claimed it was a joke, was far more enlightening.

[LongStepMantis]

And guns. Don't forget about all the gunplay between Elmer and Buggs and all those times poor Daffy got blasted.

It also taught us that taking a shotgun blast or dynamite explosion to the face point blank just makes your hair spike up and you get black shit on you.

[MrBibbz]

I find it amusing how everything is always blamed on media, or games or everything other than homelife, which as mentioned by someone else in this thread, plays a huge factor in what our kids grow up to be.

Look at me I play CoD 4 and Army of Two and yet I don't have a sudden urge to go shoot up a school or a mall as some people claim those games would make me prone to doing.......

Holy run on sentence batman ....

[Rommel]

And guns. Don't forget about all the gunplay between Elmer and Buggs and all those times poor Daffy got blasted.

You're one to talk about guns. I know about what you keep in the basement.

[murpes]

Well, I am a teacher. And this game does make me very upset. Namely over the fact that it isn't coming out for the PC and I really want to play it.

[LongStepMantis]

Well, I am a teacher. And this game does make me very upset. Namely over the fact that it isn't coming out for the PC and I really want to play it.

Nicely played sir. :D

Although if it sells decently, There might be a PC port coming later. At least that's the way it worked with GTA games. They made it to PC, only much later than their console releases.

[oldjadedgamer]

It also taught us that taking a shotgun blast or dynamite explosion to the face point blank just makes your hair spike up and you get black shit on you.

If you're a duck, it makes you beak turn around funny on the top of your head until you put it back in place:

http://www.alexross.com/81122-big.jpg

[LongStepMantis]

Taking time to know what your kids are doing, and find out if a game/show/movie might be inappropriate for them should be the norm. But it isn't. And that's why this keeps happening. This time because it's not nearly as bad as it's made out to be. This game is much more like an "80's teen movie" simulator than anything else. ;)

Anyone who's played it or seen a game play video even, would know that it's a hell of a lot less offensive than the media keeps hyping it up to be.

[bean19]

It's actually a really smart and fun satire too.

Plus, it's wish fulfillment and that's what the most popular videogames are all about. How many people would like to be professional athletes, rock stars, race-car drivers, or action heroes? Quite a few, and this is why games that cast players in these positions do so well. Bully allows people to "take control of their high school" and it does it with a great sense of humor.

Smart teenagers will get the joke, and will be enriched by it as it is a smart satire with strong moral themes: Understanding Machiavellian personalities (Gary, the game's antagonist is brilliant); learning to focus on what is important (Petie's friendship is the only meaningful one in the game, but Jimmy routinely overlooks it), how to deal with unfair situations, and irreverence, which according to Twain is liberty's one true defender.

[Johan]

This gives little credit to young people’s intelligence

Deservedly.

ignores the role of parents in helping their children screen out or deal with negative influences.

If you live in California, the state takes care of the screening for your kids. Parents need to fuck off. (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/03/07/MNJDVF0F1.DTL)

Heimov said her organization's chief concern was not the quality of the children's education, but their "being in a place daily where they would be observed by people who had a duty to ensure their ongoing safety."

Thank God they're there to ensure our children's safety.

[Wolvie]

Yar, be ye removin' thar signature when ye be submittin news matey!

AYE AYE CAP'N! Won't be hapen'n a'gin sir!

:( This saddens me. As a teacher and administrator, and finally a gamer I know that this is bull. Most kids out there that are pains, bully's or just plain jerks are so because of a few different factors, most of which revolve around their family life, not a video game such as Bully.

Not all teachers are idiots and believe crap like this...these teachers are ill-informed yes men that have probably never even played the game, seen the game, or anything of the sort.

Makes me sad that these educators decided to take such a stance before educating themselves on the truths at hand.

I'm glad we have teachers like you out there. May we get more as time goes on.

[donkeydrop]

Typical ignorance, since the game is named after the school, and if anything the story is about fighting against systematic bullying and abuse of authority.

[Disgustipated]

Retarded teachers are retarded.

[Spigot]

It also taught us that taking a shotgun blast or dynamite explosion to the face point blank just makes your hair spike up and you get black shit on you.Don't forget that the best way to make the gun blow up in the other person's face is to stick your finger(s) in the barrel(s).

[sol740]

Don't forget that the best way to make the gun blow up in the other person's face is to stick your finger(s) in the barrel(s).

I dont use a finger I use my ...:eek:

[Bingley Joe]

Over at gamepolitics.com (http://www.gamepolitics.com/) they have an editorial up about how teachers need to forget about all the Bully controversy they've stirred up

Actually, the editorial was in the Globe and Mail, (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080306.webully06/BNStory/specialComment/home) gamepolitics.com was merely reporting on it.

The Globe was also responsible for erroneously calling the game Bullying: Scholarship Edition.

I'm not sure why the OP doesn't merely link directly to the source.


Proofing mistakes aside, I'm glad to see something like this show up in a national newspaper.. 'bout time the mainstream press got on the right side of this issue.

[BigJonno]

Even if the game did promote school violence and all that crap it couldn't make things worse. The fucked up home lives that more and more kids have does the trick nicely. Yep, a year and a half in education and I'm already bitter.

[Lutheran]

If you're a duck, it makes you beak turn around funny on the top of your head until you put it back in place:

http://www.alexross.com/81122-big.jpg

Yourrrrrr DESPICABLE!

[Wolvie]

Actually, the editorial was in the Globe and Mail, (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080306.webully06/BNStory/specialComment/home) gamepolitics.com was merely reporting on it.

The Globe was also responsible for erroneously calling the game Bullying: Scholarship Edition.

I'm not sure why the OP doesn't merely link directly to the source.


Proofing mistakes aside, I'm glad to see something like this show up in a national newspaper.. 'bout time the mainstream press got on the right side of this issue.

Meh, I merely said they had the editorial up, I didn't say they were responsible for it. Besides the intro would have been needlessly cumbersome if I had said "Over at gamepolitics.com they have an article up that was written by the Globe and mail" now wouldn't it?
Besides, linking to gamepolitics.com, I gave people who were unaware of it's existence a chance to check it out.

[drakkarim]

its official, i am now completely sick of developers/manufacturers/etc officially throwing all liability/responsibility for everything under the "parent's problem" umbrella.

why is it that every company out there is marketing more and more every piece of shit (not implying this game) to kids as hard as they can and then throwing it on the parents to deal with their kids wanting the things? they seem to bombard kids with advertising for all kinds of pure crap, from food products, to drugs, to clothing products, to electronic products, to god knows what i and parents everywhere else haven't even heard of yet. and then they throw the "this is america...freedom..." bullshit bone into all their arguments.

i bet the auto industry has their panties up in a bunch trying to figure out how they can manage to sell cars to kids and get away with it like the tabacco/alcohol industry.

its getting fucking old, i say its about time that companies start being responsible for the shit they make and market, especially to kids.

i think i now officially support all fucking lawsuits and lawyers brought to bear against these fucks :)

rant over.

[Johan]

Retarded teachers are retarded.

You get what you pay for. Offer piss-all for pay for those who spend the day with your kids, and you'll get what you get....

[Spigot]

i bet the auto industry has their panties up in a bunch trying to figure out how they can manage to sell cars to kids and get away with it like the tabacco/alcohol industry.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/e/ec/Hot_wheels.jpg/250px-Hot_wheels.jpg
What's that you say? (http://www.hotwheels.com/worldwide/index.aspx?Lang=EN)

You never said how big the car had to be :)

[ElektroDragon]

Yeah, the only thing this game teaches youth is that you should fight back against bullies. I could have used that growing up. In fact, the teachers should commend it for bringing to public light the serious problem of bullying, which is mostly ignored by "those in authority", at least when I was growing up. Seriously, the whole freaking game your character is constantly being attacked by other kids for no apparant reason. Only the nerds leave you alone. Story of my life in high school, actually. I'm glad I survived with nothing more than a bloody nose (the spurting, gushing kind).

College was amazing.... "wow, everyone is nice, no one is going to kick my ass for no apparant reason?! I'm in heaven!"

[derjester]

its official, i am now completely sick of developers/manufacturers/etc officially throwing all liability/responsibility for everything under the "parent's problem" umbrella.

why is it that every company out there is marketing more and more every piece of shit (not implying this game) to kids as hard as they can and then throwing it on the parents to deal with their kids wanting the things? they seem to bombard kids with advertising for all kinds of pure crap, from food products, to drugs, to clothing products, to electronic products, to god knows what i and parents everywhere else haven't even heard of yet. and then they throw the "this is america...freedom..." bullshit bone into all their arguments.

i bet the auto industry has their panties up in a bunch trying to figure out how they can manage to sell cars to kids and get away with it like the tabacco/alcohol industry.

its getting fucking old, i say its about time that companies start being responsible for the shit they make and market, especially to kids.

i think i now officially support all fucking lawsuits and lawyers brought to bear against these fucks :)

rant over.
Please tell me this post was a joke.
Please?
For the love of God please.

I mean, it has been talked about that the majority of money spending gamers are 18 - 25 right? You are aware, that as a parent, you can control what media your children digest and what their values are right? You know that's what the job description of "Parent" is right? Unless you live in California as Johan has pointed out. (that makes me want to move out of CA before my kids are forced to attend shitty schools.)

[Wolvie]

its official, i am now completely sick of developers/manufacturers/etc officially throwing all liability/responsibility for everything under the "parent's problem" umbrella.

why is it that every company out there is marketing more and more every piece of shit (not implying this game) to kids as hard as they can and then throwing it on the parents to deal with their kids wanting the things? they seem to bombard kids with advertising for all kinds of pure crap, from food products, to drugs, to clothing products, to electronic products, to god knows what i and parents everywhere else haven't even heard of yet. and then they throw the "this is america...freedom..." bullshit bone into all their arguments.

i bet the auto industry has their panties up in a bunch trying to figure out how they can manage to sell cars to kids and get away with it like the tabacco/alcohol industry.

its getting fucking old, i say its about time that companies start being responsible for the shit they make and market, especially to kids.

i think i now officially support all fucking lawsuits and lawyers brought to bear against these fucks :)

rant over.

Yes, lets blame manufacturers of products for societies ills. Lets sue them into the ground, that'll solve everything. :rolleyes:

Please, if your gonna post like an idiot, just stop typing.

[Spigot]

Maybe I should sue lawyers for creating a society where every slightest occurrence has the specter of a multimillion dollar lawsuit hanging over it and where people think they can sue problems out of existence.

[Rommel]

The game is rated mature. You can set your fancy new console to not even allow the game to be played - meaning you do not even have to moniter what games come into your home anymore! Watching your children's entertainment habits equates to five minutes of work and you cover your home for a lifetime. If you're concerned about what they do at their friends house, call their parents and you have covered *two* households in *ten* minutes.

What's that? You do not know your sons friends or his or her parents? And the kids he is hanging out with aren't the type whose parents care or are ever home? Well my friend, you might want to stop worrying about the video games - you have bigger problems to deal with.