A video that shows an Ohio father forcing his daughter to walk five miles to school after she was kicked off her bus for bullying has gone viral.
Matt Cox filmed his daughter walking to school and said he was doing what he thought was right to teach his daughter a lesson.
“Let me make this extremely clear: Bullying is unacceptable,” Cox said.
“I realized she viewed the privilege of riding the bus and or car rides to and from school as a right and not a privilege,” Cox added to WXYZ.
Expecting criticism from some, Cox said in his post that it was fine for people not to support his teaching method.
Life lessons!!!!UPDATE: lesson learned! Still has all her extremities intact is happy and healthy and seems to have a new outlook on bullying as well as a new appreciation for some of the simple things in life she used to take for granted #HOLDOURKIDSACOUNTABLE #STOPBULLYING
由 Matt Cox 发布于 2018年12月3日周一
“I know a lot of you parents are not going to agree with this but that is all right. Because I am doing what I feel is right to teach my daughter a lesson and to stop her from bullying,” Cox said in the viral video.
The video has been shared hundreds of thousands of times since being posted on Dec. 3.
He also clarified that the five-mile walk was broken up over his 10-year-old daughter’s three-day suspension. She finished the last two miles on Dec. 5, Cox told WTVG.
“I just want the kids to know that words truly do hurt. They cut very deep and have lasting effects. I hope that parents hold their kids accountable,” he said.
Cox later updated the Facebook post.
“Lesson learned!” he wrote. “Still has all her extremities intact is happy and healthy and seems to have a new outlook on bullying as well as a new appreciation for some of the simple things in life she used to take for granted.”
He told WXYZ that he used the comments posted by people who were bullying victims as another teaching moment.
“She, along with my other two children, seem to show a great deal of empathy towards some of the sad stories that I read with them,” Cox said.
Comments
Many Facebook users who commented on the post supported the lesson.
“I like this guy. And look, he drives behind her to show her it’s not his punishment but hers. And his presence shows he loves his daughter,” wrote Wil Smith-McFadden.
My mother did this to my brother as well… that was 20 years ago. Several moms told her that she was too harsh! Nope!” wrote Sallie HK Robinson.
“Bravo, Dad! She wasn’t in danger and she had plenty of time to think as she walked along. Wish more parents would hold their kids accountable for their actions. Way to go,” added Rebecca Hamilton.
A few users said they didn’t agree with how Cox handled the situation, mostly criticizing Cox for posting the video online.
“You humiliated your kid so you can be famous on some social platform full of other idiots like you. you could have punished that kid without posting it on the internet like an idiot,” wrote Liviu Valentin.
“I don’t think she should be publicly shamed for all the world to see. Though she probably deserved to be punished, internet videos are forever,” added Matt Rapier.
“Tough love is very difficult. Some are not supporting you posting this on social media. I am not qualified to judge anyone on this so I will not opine. I will note that this cannot be the end of her lesson—counseling and follow-up is paramount to her understanding why her behavior is not acceptable,” wrote Cas Emma.
“Otherwise I believe she will repeat her behavior out of anger toward this punishment from you. She did not become a bully overnight so please do not expect this one-time correction to heal her.”
