Bullied Bus Monitor Karen Klein Talks to Anderson Cooper as Internet's Cash Gift Rises to $475,000: VIDEO
Anderson Cooper last night spoke with Karen Huff Klein, the Rochester-area school bus monitor seen bullied earlier this week by a group of kids in a sickening YouTube video which went viral.
Two of the kids who tormented Klein released statements to AC360. One, named Josh, wrote, "I am so sorry for the way I treated you. When I saw the video I was disgusted and could not believe I did that."
Said Klein: "Of course, he's going to say anything. He's always got this smirk on his face...I don't think I would believe anything Josh would say."
Another, Wesley, said, "I feel really badly about what I did. I wish I had never done those things. If that had happened to someone in my family, like my mother or grandmother, I would be really mad at the people who did that to them."
Klein says that she wants them to never feel as if they can do this again to anyone, to be kept off the bus for a year, and be prohibited from playing any sports, at least for a year. She thinks community service is a pretty good idea too.
Meanwhile, a collection fund to send Klein on a vacation has risen to nearly half a million dollars. Klein doesn't believe the money will ever come to her. "Sounds too good to be true," she says.
Watch, AFTER THE JUMP...
these kids are the reason that our schools are failing. it's popular to blame the teachers and try to break up the teachers' unions, but it's really bad parenting. it's why kids bully other kids, this woman and why they don't apply themselves in school.
Posted by: Keith | Jun 22, 2012 10:33:15 AM
Horrible what happened to her, but she seems a little unappreciative of the glowing, positive response she's gotten.
Posted by: Mike8787 | Jun 22, 2012 10:33:36 AM
This is INSANE! Stop it with the money!!
Posted by: Mike C. | Jun 22, 2012 10:35:40 AM
I'm pretty sure most of the money would go to some sort of anti-bullying charity, or back into the community in some way.
Posted by: Richard | Jun 22, 2012 10:38:46 AM
Yeah, can we not give her that money? Put it somewhere where it will do good. Fix up the schools in that state!
Posted by: Fenrox | Jun 22, 2012 10:51:08 AM
As a teacher, this is what I put up with daily. Oh sure I can write a referral and send them to the office, but the administration don't do anything but send them back to class. You call parents and you get "You just don't know how to teach my child." And heaven forbid you say anything that might be interpreted as negative -you have a lawsuit on your hand. Things won't change until parents do and the schools bring back corporal punishment...
Posted by: mike | Jun 22, 2012 10:52:29 AM
I don't think she's unappreciative. She sounds like someone who's been disappointed more than once by life. Given her admitted relative unfamiliarity w/ the internet, these donations probably sound a bit suspicious to her. I hope she takes the money and retires so she never has to deal with that stress again.
Posted by: James C | Jun 22, 2012 10:53:52 AM
Mike, if corporal punishment isn't allowed in prison, why should it be in our schools? Hitting people is not going to solve the bullying problem. That just doesn't make any sense, now does it?
Posted by: MB | Jun 22, 2012 10:55:51 AM
I donated to her when it was at a really low total, not thinking it would balloon as it has. Considering the extremely low amount she makes in a year, I felt the purpose for the money was to give her a vacation and to take her mind off the horrible things those kids did, but it is getting a little out of control.
I don't think she seems unappreciative of the support she's receiving, though. She just seems a little uncomfortable. She's been thrust into this spotlight and it has to be overwhelming. It has to be a little unnerving to be asked over and over again what she thinks should happen to those kids. If it were me, I know I would find it really difficult to just come out and say the kids need to have some sense spanked into them, not that that is what she's thinking, mind you. Anyway, I think she's just trying to maintain composure and maybe wanting to just move on.
Posted by: Jeremy | Jun 22, 2012 10:58:24 AM
The kids' behavior was cruel, but it's been called out. They've been publicly shamed, and other than community service, I can't see any positive goal to be achieved with the punishment she suggests. The woman says it was a one-time incident, and the lesson's been learned. I think the most growth for everyone would come from her listening to any apologies that are tendered and moving forward with everyone the wiser.
Posted by: Linda | Jun 22, 2012 11:00:53 AM
I don't know, I just don't get this one. If you want to give money to bullied victims, there are so many we see on these pages who kill themselves, and those are tragic stories. This lady just sat on a bus with a bunch of admittedly evil kids. I know she said this was the first time but in the video it seemed like it happened all the time and the kids whose job it is for her to monitor were totally out of control. So she's just another underpaid government employee doing her job badly. Sure the kids should be severely punished, but should she get a half million bucks in charity donations for just staring out the window while these kids act like that?
She also seemed much more excited about the disney trip than the cash, which is odd.
Posted by: Brian | Jun 22, 2012 11:12:06 AM
Marines have Karen's back!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Pfoi-ENDu8&list=UUXfyS4G5sxXLNl3ZCh4SjHw&index=1&feature=plcp
Posted by: coby smith | Jun 22, 2012 11:13:24 AM
Is it me, or does it appear that the statements from those two kids were written by adults?
Posted by: Stan | Jun 22, 2012 11:13:32 AM
I don't know what was more exciting, hearing about her trip to Disney or seeing Anderson smile. :)
Posted by: Gigi | Jun 22, 2012 11:22:04 AM
Linda these kids are not ashamed of their behaviour only the fact they got busted.
Make the parents drive them to school for now on and then maybe they'll take an interest in raising them.
Posted by: oousslander | Jun 22, 2012 11:39:23 AM
Of course she's doubtful about everything, the way she's been treated. She doesn't need a vacation, she needs someone to show they care, but those kids need a good solid penalty and some sensitivity training.
Posted by: Jack M | Jun 22, 2012 11:42:18 AM
i can't help wondering what SHE would have done if a gay kid, or any kid, was being bullied on that same bus. sat their in blissful silence? i can't see her stepping in to help, do you?
Posted by: bandanajack | Jun 22, 2012 11:45:31 AM
Im with James C I don't this she sounds unappreciative. A lot of people (myself included) internalize what has happened to them both bad and good. I was bullied as a kid and as a 43 year old it still comes out what has happened. If someone does something really nice for me I may remain stoic about it when it occurs and then at 3 am I am thinking WOW that was so wonderful, I really am so happy and UNDERreacted. I think Karen Klein has had a lifetime of beat downs, don't knock her down some more. Just be glad you have "met" her heard her story and take something away from it to make the world a little better.
Posted by: Jeff | Jun 22, 2012 11:49:25 AM
Some of you guys are way out of line (BandanaJack and a couple of the Mikes) in your critical comments of her. She's a sweet old lady who was thrust into the limelight. She's uncomfortable and probably embarrassed. Cut her some slack.
And, no, beating the kids isn't going to make them nicer, even if it sounds tempting.
Posted by: Laurie | Jun 22, 2012 12:00:13 PM
When the politicians in DC finally kill Social Security, there'll be a lot of these seniors on busses being tortured & terrorised by kids.
I only wish as much $$ is sent to victims of glbt bullying. That said I hope the terrorist-kids get kicked off the bus for their school career& get held back a grade.
Posted by: mikeflower | Jun 22, 2012 12:01:59 PM
She doesn't sound 'underappreciative' - to me she sounds completely overwhelmed and flabbergasted by the support and attention this story has brought... and yeah, I think she sounds a little scared - after all, her story has been shot around the world (multiple times) and millions of people (if not more) have seen her face and know her story. Hell, I'd be utterly scared to death!
Still, the outpouring of support is wonderful.
Posted by: Oz in OK | Jun 22, 2012 12:03:10 PM
"She doesn't sound 'underappreciative' - to me she sounds completely overwhelmed and flabbergasted by the support and attention this story has brought"
I agree, Oz in OK. She admits in the interview she hasn't done anything, yet all of a sudden she's being interviewed by Anderson Cooper, Matt Lauer, et al, and she's told hundreds of thousands of dollars are coming her way. Of course it is overwhelming and surreal.
"i can't help wondering what SHE would have done if a gay kid, or any kid, was being bullied on that same bus"
You should try to help wondering things like that, BandanaJack. There are enough real anti-gay incidents to be upset about, no need to imagine ones.
Posted by: Dastius Krazitauc | Jun 22, 2012 12:13:55 PM
At some point does anyone plan on stopping the donation train? $475k? Really? I totally understand the issue, but this money compensation thing is getting out of hand.
Posted by: jakeinlove | Jun 22, 2012 12:17:14 PM
Stop with the hate! She's getting the money because the people that donated it decided that when they made the choice to help. I don't know if it is jealously or what, but it's only the business of the people that opened their wallets. I am still proud to this moment that I spent my money showing her AND the world that people DO care. We are not ALL heartless like those little monsters and some of the people posting on here.
Posted by: Kristen Svensson | Jun 22, 2012 12:32:48 PM
Um...where were all the people who are so concerned about bullying when gay kids were (and are) being to the point of committing suicide? I couldn't agree more that what this woman went through was terrible and inexcusable, but there's such a thing as a sense of proportion, fer chrissakes.
Posted by: jomicur | Jun 22, 2012 12:35:20 PM