Randy Cassingham's Blog

Posted by Greg - Milwaukee on April 11, 2011:

I guess "daddy" wanted his parenting failure for all to see. Might as well get the cops involved, dad sure can't parent.

Posted by Lynn, Wisconsin on April 11, 2011:

I would say that the father was right in this case to take it to the police - the victim has a broken jaw! That is a little more serious than just "picking on" another kid. Up until there was a serious injury, I would agree that the father should have handled it without involving the police. Once it crosses that point, the police need to be involved.

Posted by Di, Ohio on April 11, 2011:

Matt did the right thing. In her return note, Jennifer said that he had caught the kids doing something similar previously. If they did not change their behavior after initial inhouse discipline and at their nearly adult ages, then the police are a fine option.

Posted by Amy, Rochester NY on April 11, 2011:

I absolutely agree with the father. Bullying victim or not, what his children did is a crime and they should be punished accordingly.

My parents always told me that if I ever got arrested not to waste my phone call on them because they would not bail me out of jail. I will tell my children the same.

Posted by Victor of Manila, Philippines on April 11, 2011:

Judging by the news... the father is portrayed like a hero.

Judging by her reply... she has a point in mentioning the lasting effect it would create to the children's emotional growth.

If that father was not bullied when he was a kid, his reaction would have been to apologize to the parents and settle the problem at home like any normal parent would do (Grounding them for months and selling their favorite stuff).

Posted by Drew, CO on April 11, 2011:

I think the father did the right thing. If he did not turn his kids in to the police, and the other family did press charges, would the father have been in risk of being charged as an accessory? Also, the kids may not end up as "convicted felons." The article doesn't mention anything about convictions.

Posted by Ed Richmondville NY on April 11, 2011:

BLECH! You're asking us to have the wisdom of Solomon, so here goes my try:

Sell the car & horse to pay for the kid's medical bills. Have the brother/sister team present the $ to the kid & his parents with Dad observing, no lawyers. Let the chips fall where they may. The victim may press charges, or he may not. Some of our Aussie cousins are more tolerant of dumb behavior if there is true remorse than many of us Yanks.

This way Dad isn't a rat, and the kids face the real world: sometimes you are forgiven for misdeeds, other times you're not. If the victim did press charges, by showing remorse the Judge or DA may allow them to plead to a misdemeanor rather than a felony.

Posted by Drew, CO on April 11, 2011:

Addendum to my earlier comment:

How can making your child's life a "living hell" at home any less horrible than turning them in to the police when they commit a violent crime like this?

Posted by Peter - Texas on April 11, 2011:

I think the father did the right thing. It doesn't matter who it is that committed the crime, they should do the time.

Had it been a total stranger that witnessed the attack on the 13 year old boy, that total stranger might have called police. Would the situation be any different? No, who reported the kids makes no difference. They should be arrested for what they did.

Posted by Walter, Hialeah FL on April 11, 2011:

Unless you have experienced the problem you have no way you can comment. I turned my son into the FBI on a drug charge many years ago. He did his time and all is OK now with him.

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Now there's the voice of experience! -rc