Smelly fat-arse banned from school bus

[jrandom]

Herald story here (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10475310).

So a 13-year-old boy is unpleasant in aspect and smells bad.

Not to mention 140kg. 140kg! Even at my worst, after a couple of years of dedicated pie eating and beer drinking and zero training, I've never approached that weight.

Usual comments apply about his "health issues" being bullshit, of course. 140kg at thirteen years old takes some serious dedication to gluttony. Physics and human biology don't allow one to get fat without eating an overabundance of calories, or the millions of people starving and dying around the world would currently be happily shopping for larger-sized trackpants. His parents have overfed him, end of story.

No surprise that his body has subseqently given up the fight and started, amongst other things, uncontrollably defecating on itself.

Still.

Should Kawerau Coaches have banned him from using the bus?

Discuss.

[Hitcher]

Personal responsibility starts here. Get with the programme: eat less, exercise more. It's not rocket science.

[FlangMasterJ]

Should Kawerau Coaches have banned him from using the bus?

Yes.

If the kid is shitting himself on a school bus with other kids aboard then their is a definite health risk.

How could his parents let him get so overweight?

That's the same as a dog owner not feeding his/her dog.

Cruelty to animals??

[deanohit]

Yep, both Hitcher and Flangmaster are right on the money.
My family has a history of obesity, the ones who eat healthy and exersize have no medical problems and get around fine, the ones who just eat everything and no exersize are all sumo's (sorry Nan) with diabeties and heart problems.

[crashe]

How about posting up the full story for all to see.
The young lad has cerebral palsy as well as other conditions to cope with.
There are ways for the school, his parents and medical team to sort this issue out.


Boy banned from school bus because of odour
12:30PM Sunday November 11, 2007
By Katee Shanks

A thirteen-year-old with a medical condition that can result in a strong odour has been banned from using a school bus.

The Kawerau College student's family said he only found out when he went to catch a Kawerau Coaches bus and was told he was not allowed on board.

The 140kg boy receives specialist medical care for morbid obesity attributed to a serious bowel condition.

He is cognitively impaired, has cerebral palsy and experiences faecal incontinence.

Kawerau Coaches told the boy's family that a letter had been sent to the family advising them of the decision. However, the boy's family say they did not receive it.

Through a spokesperson, Kawerau Coaches owner Graeme Harvey said it was premature to discuss the matter before a November 29 mediation meeting with several other parties.

Those parties include Kawerau College staff, Group Special Education (GSE), Multiserve (contracted by the Ministry of Education to manage and administer school transport), the boy's family, their advocate Melody Wharerimu and the Human Rights Commission.

The family have made a formal complaint to the commission.

A GSE spokesperson said they and the ministry had been working to resolve the issue and processes were in place to source alternative transport.

"We are aiming to pay a conveyance fee to the boy's mother for taking him to school."

His mother said the ban was a shock.

"There was a man standing at my gate who told me my daughter could get on the bus but, as from that day, my son could no longer go on the bus and that I should have got a letter telling me why."

She and Ms Wharerimu said they had not received the letter.

"My son got so upset and was crying when the driver was told to close the bus door. All his school peers were in the bus watching."

While attending intermediate school, the boy had travelled on a bus from Whakatane to Kawerau without incident.

Since October 8 the boy has spent five weeks at Waikato Hospital and is scheduled for a stomach-stapling operation in two months.

The prospect of surgery worries his mother who hopes he can achieve weight loss by exercise.

"He will be the first child in the country to have the operation and all of the worst-case-scenarios have been explained to us."

A fitness trainer and family member has agreed to work with John and his parents are hoping to source a bicycle or tricycle in an effort to avoid the operation.

- DAILY POST

[jrandom]

The young lad has cerebral palsy...

And therefore he should have food stuffed down his throat, foie gras style, until he almost literally explodes?

[crashe]

And therefore he should have food stuffed down his throat, foie gras style, until he almost literally explodes?

No, but we don't know what other conditions/syndromes that he may have, that the media hasnt mentioned.

He maybe one who has a compulsive disorder to eating, commonly called 'Prada Willi Syndrome'. We don't know his background at all.

[jrandom]

He maybe one who has a compulsive disorder to eating, commonly called 'Prada Willi Syndrome'.

Gosh, maybe that's the mystery diagnosis I've been looking for all these years!

Although I like to call my personal eating disorder 'Norfland Green Syndrome'.

Oh well. Guess I'd better go check the tyre pressure and chuck some chain lube on the Trek before I go put 50km of pedalling into offsetting the effects of my Dire Health Problems.

Odd, isn't it, how one's 'morning' training rides so often end up as rushed pre-dinner affairs...

[Laava]

He has big bones, as Ricky Gervais said " Yeah, big bones with meat and fuckin gravy!"

[inlinefour]

Although he has a tough lot to cope with being the way that he is, I do not believe that everyone else who uses the bus should also suffer for it. IMO there is being PC (helping pay for the child's transport needs) and stupid (saying the kid can continue using the bus service). Yea the kid has special needs, to its up to the family to find out how it get the help to meet his needs. Although I would expect it to be a shock as they say they never recieved the letter advising them that the boy could no longer use the bus service. I do understand that some people cannot just exercise and eat wisely and remain healthy, but this is the minority within society and the fact that the health dept is going to put the kid through the stomach stapling op suggests that things are pretty bad for the lad. I think I'd rather be here sitting in my wheelchair than be in this kid's situation. But at the end of the day, the kid's life might be a big shit sandwhich, but everyone does not have to take a bite...

[KATWYN]

Tis an awful situation from both sides of the fence. It could not have been easy for whoever approached the problem on behalf of everyone else. But my thoughts are....

Its tricky. A bad smell is encroaching on other peoples space and freedom to "breath fresh air" its the same as a person smoking and the ones that have to suffer the invasion of their personal space. - banning smoking from public places was the best thing that could ever have happened.

Deliberate bad hygiene should be treated the same way ....BUT.......

This poor boy has health issues that cannot be helped and his human rights have to be taken into consideration too. Crash could be right...he may have Prada Willi syndrome which is the reason for his excess weight and then theres the bowel problem related to the cerebal palsy issue (??). Its tricky.

I guess it comes down to tolerance. This poor boy has to live in this body 24/7...these people only need to share a bus with him for 2-3 hours. 2-3 hours of holding ones breath is probably a small price to pay to give a bit of compassion to someone far worse off than the rest of us.

My 2 cents worth

[jafar]

!40kg = morbid obesity Strong odour (stinks) & shits himself :sick: No wonder they don't want him on the bus. The other students have the right to get to school without having to put up with that.
Bet the bus company was sick of cleaning his shit off the seats or where ever it landed, the kid sounds like a walking health hazard.
Does make you wonder how a 13 year old can get that huge. :eek::eek:

[Deviant Esq]

Not quite sure how a 13 year old frame could support that much weight.... struggling to comprehend. Part of me wants to say "poor bugger", but there's only so much of it that's "poor bugger" when he's that big. I'd be just as likely to think "poor bugger" of the poor kid who had to sit next to his bulk and odour... if there wasn't enough space for him to have a seat to himself.

[bmz2]

Well after reading the press release ,i would not let him on my bus. As for his 140kg over weight problem . It's the parents that are at fault .They only now think that he should start loosing weight, what they waited until he got so over weight and shits everywhere:sick: . My god ,shut the gate because the horse has bolted. Problem or not, the parents want to complain about the bus company. Maybe the bus company should give the cleaning bill to the parents:laugh:

[kerfufflez]

these people only need to share a bus with him for 2-3 hours. 2-3 hours of holding ones breath is probably a small price to pay to give a bit of compassion to someone far worse off than the rest of us.



2-3 hours of holding your breath? Even the Man from Atlantis could only do 2 minutes.

[Ixion]

Cerebral palsy is a condition caused by neurological maldevelopment. The precise causes are unknown and sufferers can in no way be considered responsible for their condition

Cerebral palsy is frequently accompanied by other health problems. Mental disability is common as is incontinence.

It is also known that cerebral palsy is often concomitant with obesity, and, simultaneously, with malnutrition. In other words sufferers are malnourished ("fail to thrive") even though they are obese.

It is hypothosised that the explanation for this may be that neurological damage disrupts the bodies metabolic pathways , leading to malabsorbtion or ineffective use of nutritional factors. In an attempt to compensate for this the body sends "eat more food" signals. The obesity is the effect of this. In other words, sufferers eat excessively because their bodies cannot effectively process the food. It is just like a bike with an ignition misfire. Because the engine is not getting the full benefit of the fuel, you have to open the throttle more to compensate and use more fuel (eat more). But this in turn means that even more incompletely burned fuel is passed out the exhaust as pollution (fat).

Cerebral palsy is a terrible, cruel condition. Even more cruel however is the attitude of society, where able bodied people think it good fun to get their jollies by mocking the disabled and handicapped.

Perhaps we may wonder , if others cannot tolerate his presence on a 'bus for a few hours, how his parents feel, who must deal with his problems all the time . Or , indeed, the school.

Those here mocking the lad , who are still young enough to have children in the future, may care to reflect that karma can be a real bitch sometimes. Those past that age: did y'ever wonder how the boys grandparents feel?

[Trudes]

Completely agree Ixion!!



I'm never having children because I once watched a programme on Dwarfs and laughed for several hours (I was a bit younger, but still), so figured karma would kick me in the arse one day.

[Mom]

Terrible situation! For what ever reasons this lad has all of these issues, the results of them should not be inflicted on others when they dont have a choice to avoid them.

Personally travelling on a school bus with this boy would not be something that I would like to do. There are other options to get him to school, I see the family are going to be offered money so they do the transportation them selves. There are private transport operators that can provide the transport if required.

Seems to me this is a case of a shocking lack of communication by the parties involved in making the decision to ban him from the bus.

Poor little (yes little, he is 13, Intellectually handicapped, and really sick) bastard, is my spin on this boy.

[Coyote]

Saints are blind

[Grahameeboy]

Cerebral palsy is a condition caused by neurological maldevelopment. The precise causes are unknown and sufferers can in no way be considered responsible for their condition

Cerebral palsy is frequently accompanied by other health problems. Mental disability is common as is incontinence.

It is also known that cerebral palsy is often concomitant with obesity, and, simultaneously, with malnutrition. In other words sufferers are malnourished ("fail to thrive") even though they are obese.

It is hypothosised that the explanation for this may be that neurological damage disrupts the bodies metabolic pathways , leading to malabsorbtion or ineffective use of nutritional factors. In an attempt to compensate for this the body sends "eat more food" signals. The obesity is the effect of this. In other words, sufferers eat excessively because their bodies cannot effectively process the food. It is just like a bike with an ignition misfire. Because the engine is not getting the full benefit of the fuel, you have to open the throttle more to compensate and use more fuel (eat more). But this in turn means that even more incompletely burned fuel is passed out the exhaust as pollution (fat).

Cerebral palsy is a terrible, cruel condition. Even more cruel however is the attitude of society, where able bodied people think it good fun to get their jollies by mocking the disabled and handicapped.

Perhaps we may wonder , if others cannot tolerate his presence on a 'bus for a few hours, how his parents feel, who must deal with his problems all the time . Or , indeed, the school.

Those here mocking the lad , who are still young enough to have children in the future, may care to reflect that karma can be a real bitch sometimes. Those past that age: did y'ever wonder how the boys grandparents feel?

Thanks Ixion........one issue is also bladder and bowel control.

Natalie often poos in her knickers as she has trouble with bowel movements because she is not walking which all helps this process. I have a strong nose, however, I would not be impressed if she was banned from a bus or other area because she accidentally did a poo.

I am a forgiving person so will not be beating Dan up tonight but he should know better as he lives in a house with a disabled child......I will just get Nats to run him over in her wheelchair.....

[Grahameeboy]

Gosh, maybe that's the mystery diagnosis I've been looking for all these years!

Although I like to call my personal eating disorder 'Norfland Green Syndrome'.

Oh well. Guess I'd better go check the tyre pressure and chuck some chain lube on the Trek before I go put 50km of pedalling into offsetting the effects of my Dire Health Problems.

Odd, isn't it, how one's 'morning' training rides so often end up as rushed pre-dinner affairs...

He never made it......the disorder is called 'bedsititis'...........

[KATWYN]

2-3 hours of holding your breath? Even the Man from Atlantis could only do 2 minutes.

lol on and off!!

[yungatart]

Adult incontinence diapers???
I am all for mainstreaming, giving people with disabilities the same opportunities as able bodied folk, however not at the expense of others.
If this lad's disability leads him to be incontinent and he has other health related issues, there is recourse in the education budget for him to be provided with a taxi for transport to and from school.
The problem with NZ is that parent s of kids with disabilities are noot told what they are entitled to, therefore don't know how to go about getting it...the govt can save heaps of money if people don't apply for things that will help them and their kids.

[Grahameeboy]

Adult incontinence diapers???
I am all for mainstreaming, giving people with disabilities the same opportunities as able bodied folk, however not at the expense of others.
If this lad's disability leads him to be incontinent and he has other health related issues, there is recourse in the education budget for him to be provided with a taxi for transport to and from school.
The problem with NZ is that parent s of kids with disabilities are noot told what they are entitled to, therefore don't know how to go about getting it...the govt can save heaps of money if people don't apply for things that will help them and their kids.

Agree, however, I was not told what Nats was entitled to, however, having been to many Disability forums I find that NZers are pretty apathetic and expect to be told rather than find out themselves (easily done on the Internet)........incontinent stuff can be googled and are not expensive so could buy themselves.

Hence why I got funding for a $35,000 powered wheelchair when Nats was 2, a hi/lo seat ($10,000) which for a 4 year old is a first in NZ (normally given when in early teens), hi/ low seat for home etc etc and have pushed modifications early for mods to Nats new school which are gonna cost $200,000.

When you have a disabled child you don't sit on your arse, you have to get off it and be a parent instead of expecting a knock on the door.

[jonbuoy]

Poor fucker - some people get dealt a shit hand of cards.

[jrandom]

When you have a disabled child you don't sit on your arse, you have to get off it and be a parent instead of expecting a knock on the door.

And I can hardly see you allowing Nats to somehow reach 140kg by age 13.

Given that the boy is scheduled for a stomach-stapling operation and a personal fitness trainer has been lined up following this event, I'd say that the boy's obesity is, in fact, simply due to his parents' negligence. If the doctors can safely staple his stomach shut in an effort to stop him stuffing his face, he does not need to eat as much as he does, full stop.

The parents are to blame, here, nobody else. One feels an enormous amount of sympathy for the boy. I'm sure there are many 13-year-olds, disabled or not, who would eat themselves to death if they were allowed. The fact that this boy has cerebral palsy makes his parents' lack of care even more reprehensible.

[Grahameeboy]

And I can hardly see you allowing Nats to somehow reach 140kg by age 13.

Given that the boy is scheduled for a stomach-stapling operation and a personal fitness trainer has been lined up following this event, I'd say that the boy's obesity is, in fact, simply due to his parents' negligence. If the doctors can safely staple his stomach shut in an effort to stop him stuffing his face, he does not need to eat as much as he does, full stop.

The parents are to blame, here, nobody else. One feels an enormous amount of sympathy for the boy. I'm sure there are many 13-year-olds, disabled or not, who would eat themselves to death if they were allowed. The fact that this boy has cerebral palsy makes his parents' lack of care even more reprehensible.

Hopefully she will reach 13...

I kinda see what you are saying, however, having a boy with cerable palsy is a huge stress in itself and it may be that the parents are just not coping well rather than lacking any care.......I am sure people will say that Nats must be hard work but on the disability scale she is 'low maintenance' compared with this kid with cerable palsy.

The parents are clearly struggling, perhaps with little support..........unless you can put yourself in their shoes it is not easy to judge because we just focus on the kid's issues.

[James Deuce]

I'm never having children because I once watched a programme on Dwarfs and laughed for several hours (I was a bit younger, but still), so figured karma would kick me in the arse one day.

Someone else want to take this? Naaahh. Trudes - go get a metre ruler. Stand it on one end. Stand next to it. Instant Karma!

Grahame, in a lot of cases you have a limited period of time in which to avail yourself of a service within the NZ health system and often grief, rejection, depression, and the general apathy that the health system feels for the disabled (some of the bastards glory in seeing happy people taken down) means that you don't register for X Y & Z in time and you miss out for ever. The health/social welfare system also makes you reapply for for any entitlements on yearly basis, even for things like CP and Cystic Fibrosis for which there is no cure. Go through a bad patch and miss out and you may find that the wait to get back into the system isn't worth even trying.

Someone, be it a family member or friend, or possibly even the person responsible for getting you signed up for services, the Hospital Social Worker (we were lucky - we got a good one who was in the process of quitting because they'd cut her resources to the point where she couldn't do her job) needs to identify if you can do for yourself, or if you need to be led through the process. Often just being directed to help is all people need to take control of the process, so they can realise there is no help and they need to HTFU and do it themselves if they want their disabled kid to have any quality of life.

It's really easy to be critical. What if this kid is an undiagnosed Prader-Willi syndrome? Sounds like he might be. Slow at school, grossly obese, and bowel issues are all part of the problem. They have no appetite control and the syndrome doesn't assert itself as a problem until between the ages of 7-10. Some as early as 4, some as late as 11 or 12.

[avgas]

Can someone tell me why the mum cant drop him off?
No he cant go on the bus, they have short busses for people like that.
Responsibility lies on the parents here, not the bus drivers.
Why risk the majority for the few.

[jrandom]

The parents are clearly struggling, perhaps with little support..........unless you can put yourself in their shoes it is not easy to judge because we just focus on the kid's issues.

And, then again, we don't know the full story, but it's always possible that the parents are a pair of layabouts [insert obligatory comment about Dan staying in bed all day Sunday] who simply didn't care, and are only doing something now because the glare of public scrutiny has been turned upon them.

Sad, but often true.

I don't recall off the top of my head the website where one looks up decile ratings of NZ schools, but what's the bet Kawerau College is Decile 1?

One could be forgiven for building a certain mental image of the parents. I wonder if they have jobs...

[James Deuce]

Can someone tell me why the mum cant drop him off?
No he cant go on the bus, they have short busses for people like that.
Responsibility lies on the parents here, not the bus drivers.
Why risk the majority for the few.

He probably shit himself on the bus once after getting a stomach bug and a 'Reporter" has turned this issue into something that it isn't.

"Fat Kid Shits Himself on Bus" obviously generated a bit of advertising revenue, didn't it?

Oddly enough, there are people in NZ who struggle to afford bus fare for their kids let alone own a car, but I'm sure that comment will generate the typical series of Marie Antoinette inspired comments that it always does amongst people who have it pretty good.

[Grahameeboy]

Can someone tell me why the mum cant drop him off?
No he cant go on the bus, they have short busses for people like that.
Responsibility lies on the parents here, not the bus drivers.
Why risk the majority for the few.

You have just expressed a view that sadly backs up the fact that NZers are actually the worse in the world when it comes to respect for disability.

Why shouldn't kid be allowed on the bus and integrate. He is disabled, so he has bowel problems.....the parents / kids on the bus can lead 'normal' lives so a little bit of understanding rather than just handing the kid a ban.......geeze.

Why risk the majority for the few? A selfish attitude..........

[The Pastor]

Can someone tell me why the mum cant drop him off?


He cant fit in a car.



Maybe walking to school would be a better alternative?

[Grahameeboy]

Someone else want to take this? Naaahh. Trudes - go get a metre ruler. Stand it on one end. Stand next to it. Instant Karma!

Grahame, in a lot of cases you have a limited period of time in which to avail yourself of a service within the NZ health system and often grief, rejection, depression, and the general apathy that the health system feels for the disabled (some of the bastards glory in seeing happy people taken down) means that you don't register for X Y & Z in time and you miss out for ever. The health/social welfare system also makes you reapply for for any entitlements on yearly basis, even for things like CP and Cystic Fibrosis for which there is no cure. Go through a bad patch and miss out and you may find that the wait to get back into the system isn't worth even trying.

Someone, be it a family member or friend, or possibly even the person responsible for getting you signed up for services, the Hospital Social Worker (we were lucky - we got a good one who was in the process of quitting because they'd cut her resources to the point where she couldn't do her job) needs to identify if you can do for yourself, or if you need to be led through the process. Often just being directed to help is all people need to take control of the process, so they can realise there is no help and they need to HTFU and do it themselves if they want their disabled kid to have any quality of life.

It's really easy to be critical. What if this kid is an undiagnosed Prader-Willi syndrome? Sounds like he might be. Slow at school, grossly obese, and bowel issues are all part of the problem. They have no appetite control and the syndrome doesn't assert itself as a problem until between the ages of 7-10. Some as early as 4, some as late as 11 or 12.

True, however, I at heart I am a Londoner, passionate about Nats and I will bash heads to get her what she needs, not just what she is entitled to.......have not lost a battle yet and I have created so much with the Services that I am now getting what Nats needs without hassle......like you say HTFU and do it yourself.......

[Grahameeboy]

And, then again, we don't know the full story, but it's always possible that the parents are a pair of layabouts [insert obligatory comment about Dan staying in bed all day Sunday] who simply didn't care, and are only doing something now because the glare of public scrutiny has been turned upon them.

Sad, but often true.

I don't recall off the top of my head the website where one looks up decile ratings of NZ schools, but what's the bet Kawerau College is Decile 1?

One could be forgiven for building a certain mental image of the parents. I wonder if they have jobs...

The parents may still be grieving, depressed etc and just need help to motivate themselves.

You are forgiven..........

[Grahameeboy]

He cant fit in a car.



Maybe walking to school would be a better alternative?

May not be that simple.................

[judecatmad]

One thing that seems to be being forgotten here is that under the Human Rights Act in New Zealand, it is illegal for anyone to be discriminated against on the grounds of disability. So, rightly or wrongly, this kid is legally entitled to ride in the bus and the bus company have no right to stop him travelling.

My feelings on the HRA are strong and not for this thread.

[NordieBoy]

"The 140kg boy receives specialist medical care for morbid obesity attributed to a serious bowel condition."

So it's a serious bowel condition that has caused the obesity.

[Grahameeboy]

"The 140kg boy receives specialist medical care for morbid obesity attributed to a serious bowel condition."

So it's a serious bowel condition that has caused the obesity.

In a nutshell...........funny how the obvious is often missed.........at same time disability will be a factor.

[Grahameeboy]

One thing that seems to be being forgotten here is that under the Human Rights Act in New Zealand, it is illegal for anyone to be discriminated against on the grounds of disability. So, rightly or wrongly, this kid is legally entitled to ride in the bus and the bus company have no right to stop him travelling.

My feelings on the HRA are strong and not for this thread.

Nz is often guilty of forgetting about the Human Rights Act.

Remember arguing this with Mobility Solutions. Response was "which clause are you referring to"...........he ended up getting seriouse grief and he was disciplined by his boss.....

The Ministry of Health is more concerned with Maori Rights than Human Rights......for eg, the Board must have a Maori representation in proportion to population in the area but nothing about disabled representation.

[crashe]

I just can not believe the negative stuff that I have read in this thread.

Maybe those of you, who are being so negative and nasty, need to go and do some volunteer work at your local special needs schools........ and see how these kids get on in life.

Many parents struggle everyday and don't know what they are entitled to for their child/young adult..... because the govt depts fail to tell them. They find out by word of mouth from another parents or a stranger talking to them.

From the age of 21, these young adults have no where to go, to give their parent respite care during the daytime. So they are then left at home 24/7, unless the parents place them in residential care. Yes special needs kids remain at school until they turn 21 if under IHC.

These kids are wonderful kids, who never asked to be born with a disability.... but they have a smile on their face most of the time. They all struggle with day to day stuff...... some have to totally rely on others 24/7.

Many have no control over their bodily functions....... just like many of you will, when you get to old age and in a rest home.

Yes there are nappies for all sizes..... I know that there are adult nappies available, but they are also damned expensive. There are also nappy pads to be placed inside knickers, again so damned expensive.


So when you get old and piss and crap in your pants, shall we also ban you from going anywhere.... No because that is taking away your human rights.

How about showing some compassion and tolerance to your fellow countryman.





To those who were positive and understanding - thank you.

[Hitcher]

How about showing some compassion and tolerance to your fellow countryman.

In the armed forces, "self-inflicted wounds" are a punishable offence. Our society has enough to worry about with people who are genuinely disadvantaged without pandering to people who lack sufficient gumption to get off their burgeoning arses and sort out their own shit, as it were. I for one will not be expressing either compassion, nor tolerance, for such folk. The welfare state is (to misquote Richard Prebble) supposed to be a safety net, not a fucking hammock.

[HenryDorsetCase]

You have just expressed a view that sadly backs up the fact that NZers are actually the worse in the world when it comes to respect for disability.

Why shouldn't kid be allowed on the bus and integrate. He is disabled, so he has bowel problems.....the parents / kids on the bus can lead 'normal' lives so a little bit of understanding rather than just handing the kid a ban.......geeze.

Why risk the majority for the few? A selfish attitude..........

Uh, because people are assholes generally? and kids are the worst. Has anyone thought about how terrible this kid's life on the bus would be after the incident(s) described? I know the animals I went to school with would be absolutely appalling to the poor fat fucker.

Its a better outcome for all if he walks to skule, surely. And dont get me started on whether he should be attempted to be integrated or not. topic for another day.

[HenryDorsetCase]

How about showing some compassion and tolerance to your fellow countryman.



wont happen. People are just not like that.... particularly on the interwebs when they dont have to front people.

[Grahameeboy]

In the armed forces, "self-inflicted wounds" are a punishable offence. Our society has enough to worry about with people who are genuinely disadvantaged without pandering to people who lack sufficient gumption to get off their burgeoning arses and sort out their own shit, as it were. I for one will not be expressing either compassion, nor tolerance, for such folk. The welfare state is (to misquote Richard Prebble) supposed to be a safety net, not a fucking hammock.

This is not self inflicted.

It is not the kids fault. Okay blame the parents, however, they have a lot to deal with and generally there is not a lot of support for disabled parents, as shown by this post and others.

Disabled kids like this were born like it so a safety net is not really appropriate.......of course ACC is a safety net for those who do not take responsibility for their own actions and if it was a dependant like a kid, you can bet that ACC would pull out all the stops to offer help to the parents.

A while back I sliced the end of my thumb off. Had to go to Shore Care to get the bleeding stopped. A week later I received a letter from ACC asking me whether I needed any assistance...........the poor parents of this kid, or any disabled kid, would have got nothing following prognosis.

Not all parents of disabled kids deal with things like me and Jim2 do.

[Grahameeboy]

wont happen. People are just not like that.... particularly on the interwebs when they dont have to front people.

True although I shall be giving Dan a good spankin as he lives with a disabled child

[Finn]

If it's got to the stage where he is crapping himself involuntarily, then something needs to be done as it's not acceptable to allow him onto public transport.

If this was a pie eating, play station loser, then I say shoot the fucker, but it appears that he has something else wrong with him.

[Grahameeboy]

If it's got to the stage where he is crapping himself involuntarily, then something needs to be done as it's not acceptable to allow him onto public transport.

If this was a pie eating, play station l guy, then I say shoot the fucker, but it appears that he has something else wrong with him.

Dan............where are ya mate............

[Finn]

Dan............where are ya mate............

Dan is not fat, just a little cuddly and shitting yourself on a bike is not the same as doing it on a bus.

[Grahameeboy]

Dan is not fat, just a little cuddly and shitting yourself on a bike is not the same as doing it on a bus.

Especially in leathers............

[jrandom]

Dan............where are ya mate............

Working.

I ain't touching this quagmire of incompletely-informed debate with a barge pole.

[Grahameeboy]

Working.

I ain't touching this quagmire of incompletely-informed debate with a barge pole.

Is that the barge pole you mentioned last night.....

[HenryDorsetCase]

you've just made me google "Barge pole" on the assumption that it is (or was) an actual thing.

Yay for wikipedia:




The long poles used to manoeuvre or propel a barge have given rise to the saying, "I wouldn't touch that (subject/thing) with a barge pole." This is a variation on the phrase "I wouldn't touch that with a (insert length) pole." It appears that the association with barge poles came after the phrase was in use. Modern usage uses a ten foot pole, but the earliest instances in print involve a forty foot pole[1], which is improbably long for operating a barge.

and

A quant (quant pole) is a pole used to propel a barge (barge pole) or punt through water. A barge quant often has a cap at the top and a prong at the bottom to stop it from sinking into the mud. A quant used with a punt is about 4 metres long and made from either wood or a hollow metal, so that in either case it floats if left in the water.

A quant is used not only to propel such craft, but also to steer them by acting as a rudder. The operator of the quant can stick the quant behind the barge or punt to determine the direction of travel.



fascinating

[Reckless]

One thing that seems to be being forgotten here is that under the Human Rights Act in New Zealand, it is illegal for anyone to be discriminated against on the grounds of disability. So, rightly or wrongly, this kid is legally entitled to ride in the bus and the bus company have no right to stop him travelling.

My feelings on the HRA are strong and not for this thread.

I feel sorry for the kid as we all do!
But also the bus company could well be in a completely no win situation here. If the other parents are refusing to put their kids on this bus or organising an alternative bus. The poor old bus company could be left with a bus with just one occupant!
Hehe It'd be cheaper for the bus company to pay for the parents petrol! Or maybe that's what the point of this whole exercise is in the end. Another freebee for the parents who couldn't manage there kids eating habits in the first place.



Working.

I ain't touching this quagmire of incompletely-informed debate with a barge pole.

But you started it???? You can't pull out now!!!

[Blue Velvet]

Many parents struggle everyday and don't know what they are entitled to for their child/young adult..... because the govt depts fail to tell them. They find out by word of mouth from another parents or a stranger talking to them.

Exactly what I was thinking.

[Ixion]

you've just made me google "Barge pole" on the assumption that it is (or was) an actual thing.

Yay for wikipedia:



fascinating

"Forty foot pole".A standard wooden telephone pole is (or was) forty foot long.

[*caution*]

".....are hoping to source a bicycle or tricycle in an effort to avoid the operation."

I'm just shaking my head and don't know where to start on this.....

but if the smells are that bad, you can't subject the other kids to it.

[BIGBOSSMAN]

Better get a bucket, I'm going to throw up...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlK62rjQWLk

[Grahameeboy]

"Forty foot pole".A standard wooden telephone pole is (or was) forty foot long.

A bit heavier though.

[avgas]

He probably shit himself on the bus once after getting a stomach bug and a 'Reporter" has turned this issue into something that it isn't.
"Fat Kid Shits Himself on Bus" obviously generated a bit of advertising revenue, didn't it?
Oddly enough, there are people in NZ who struggle to afford bus fare for their kids let alone own a car, but I'm sure that comment will generate the typical series of Marie Antoinette inspired comments that it always does amongst people who have it pretty good.
Fair enough, i do think there is more to it than the press is letting on.
But lets look a basic facts:
a) The bus driver had to make a call it was that bad, and had been that bad for a while - the driver probably even knew of the condition and had tolerated it for sometime.
b) The child went home to mum.....as in she was home.
c) I know people who struggle with what money they have, i was one of them (i lived on -$25/week for 12 months), but if the situation was that bad for a parent.....the state has buffers set in place for these people.
My comment about the short bus still stands - the world is a big horrible place, and forcing people to combine with it is too much for the kids. The short bus is a state funded buffer to help these guys slowly integrate.
The self esteem of this guy would be low enough as it was, making him take that bus every day would be hell. The bus driver had to act not only to kick the kid of the bus (and force the parents to think), but also to make sure the kid didn't top himself due to name calling.