this post was submitted on 12 Jun 2024
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The teen's parents are calling for charges against the now-former coach.

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[–] Waldowal 65 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

The incident allegedly occurred after the coach -- who also served as a hall monitor -- ordered Michael to do pushups because he was horsing around in the hallway, but the teen declined because he had hurt his hand

Cop mentality. Escalate until someone's unconscious.

[–] Rekhyt 16 points 2 weeks ago

This sort of power-trip bullshit pisses me off so much. Kid's "horsing around" in the hallway and it's your job to keep the hallways calm? Then tell them to stop. Is it a pattern of behavior and they don't listen? Assign them an official punishment with the power you've been given: detention of some kind (probably a lunch detention).

Trying to make them do pushups? Fuck off, this is school not the fucking army.

[–] FlyingSquid 47 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Note they keep saying the coach was an "employee" and not a teacher.

I don't think they even allowed that when I was in middle school in the late 80s. All the coaches were also teachers.

[–] FuglyDuck 24 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

the school district is distancing itself from the coach.

[–] FlyingSquid 8 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I'm sure they are, but I'm also betting this coach had absolutely no formal instruction on working with children.

[–] Fredselfish 6 points 2 weeks ago

Bet there been other reports of this guys aggressive behavior and hopefully others will feel safe coming forward.

[–] tamal3 7 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

My small school district typically only allows teachers to coach, but it's a huge burden on teachers. We want the kids to have access to sports and clubs, but golly, please just do a background check on and/or train a community member who actually WANTS to coach.

[–] FlyingSquid 3 points 2 weeks ago

I'd go with that. Background check and training at minimum should be required.

[–] [email protected] 30 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)
[–] NoSpiritAnimal 20 points 2 weeks ago (6 children)

As is posted every single time someone comments this, until convicted you are "alleged" to have committed a crime.

No one should want that to change, because any group that is deemed to require summary punishments will be the group dissidents are identified as by the state.

Don't like protestors? They're all pedos now! No trials needed. Thank god we got all those pedos.

The "Alleged" is there to protect your rights. Even the most heinous crimes should be charged in court.

[–] thebestaquaman 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I see the point, but still think it's a misuse of the word "alleged". There is no doubt here that the teacher was strangling the kid: That part is on video, and is true whether or not they're convicted of a crime for it. Whether the strangling was a crime, or whether there were mediating circumstances that make it not a crime is what remains to be determined.

I just think we should be able to separate between "person allegedly committed a crime", which needs to be proven in court, or "person did XYZ and there is video evidence and multiple independent eyewitnesses accounts of it", which shouldn't need to be proven in court.

[–] Aux 5 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

It's not up to a newspaper to declare any person as a criminal. "Alleged" is the only word they can use legally. And if we allow them to label people as criminals, all the hell will break lose.

[–] thebestaquaman 2 points 1 week ago

I absolutely agree that newspapers shouldn't be allowed to label someone as a criminal before they have been sentenced. My point is that there's a difference between reporting indisputable facts about an event, and reporting that those facts make someone a criminal.

Reporting that "Video shows person X shooting person Y". Is different from reporting "Person X committed murder by shooting person Y", because in the second case you are reporting that they committed a crime, when they may be acquitted of murder in court for any number of reasons. Reporting that "Person X allegedly shot and killed person Y according to this video" makes it seem like there's any doubt about whether that happened.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 weeks ago

The "alleged" is there to protect the news org from a libel lawsuit if the accused gets exonerated. They don't give a shit about your rights.

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[–] [email protected] 29 points 2 weeks ago (3 children)

Slightly off topic but this is a perfect example of why school staff should not be carrying firearms.

[–] dogsnest 19 points 2 weeks ago

Disagree.

You're right on-topic.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 weeks ago

I mean, American police can’t even handle firearms responsibly. How are teachers expected to?

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

As an European, the only armed teachers working with kids should be the daycare teachers at Svalbard.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Gotta keep those puffins in check

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 weeks ago

I was more thinking of the polar bears

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 weeks ago

Polar bears can be hungry

[–] [email protected] 21 points 2 weeks ago

I get that there are fucked up people in the world who can't control themselves. It's just inconceivable to me that you'd commit a crime that you know will get you caught. There's no chance this guy didn't realize cameras would catch him. And yet he still couldn't restrain himself. That's an incredible degree of anger.

[–] [email protected] 20 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

What the fuck is that title, nothing alleged about it if it was caught on security cameras

[–] barsquid 7 points 2 weeks ago

News websites are cowardly and/or the courts are not doing their job stopping bullshit lawsuits.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 weeks ago

To be fair, we live in an age where it's getting easier for the average person to create altered or fake videos that can be quite convincing.

Also news outlets want to avoid being sued for libel.

[–] PM_Your_Nudes_Please 19 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

The Washtenaw County Prosecutor's Office confirmed to ABC News on Wednesday that they have authorized two charges against the defendant in the case -- assault with intent to do great bodily harm by strangulation, as well as assault and battery, a misdemeanor. No additional details in the case were released.

Worth noting that many jurisdictions have begun separating out attempted strangulation from regular battery/assault, because the statistics on attempted strangulation are incredibly harrowing. A victim who has been strangled by someone is 750% more likely to be murdered by that person within a year. Strangulation is a really really strong indicator of future murder. To the point that if you find out your partner has strangled someone in the past, you should strongly consider planning your escape.

There may be some correlation ≠ causation here, but it’s also interesting to theorize about why it may be so strongly correlated. Is it because murderers are naturally predisposed to strangling victims? Is it because people who strangle are more likely to ”accidentally” kill their victim during an altercation, as compared to someone who simply uses their fists? Is it because murderers tend to fantasize about or fixate on strangulation? Regardless of the reason, the stats are… Not great. This former coach has no business being anywhere near a school.

[–] Etterra 6 points 2 weeks ago

I suspect it's s matter of intent, conscious or subconscious. If a person strangles a victim, they are deliberately targeting a vulnerable part that has a high likelihood of killing if severely damaged. Even if they only intend harm and not death, it even if they're so blind mad that they're running on instinct, that's an attempt to cause potentially lethal harm. A punch is far less likely to do so - even some gunshot wounds can be more survivable than strangulation. So yeah, it really should be up there in the same category as adult with deadly force.

[–] Regrettable_incident 3 points 2 weeks ago

I don't know how many people would be accidentally strangled by their abusers - from what I understand, it takes a fair few minutes and bit of effort to strangle someone to death.

[–] FuglyDuck 16 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

what the fuck is with all the double speak in this article? "allegedly". "the aleged "Assault"..." Like. Dude. the coach is on camera. Choking out a student. You can argue that maybe it was some how consensual, maybe? At which point you need to ask can a minor actually consent to that? (Nope.)

also. No charges filed? are you fucking kidding me?

[–] [email protected] 52 points 2 weeks ago (16 children)

Any news article reporting on such an event must use the qualifier “allegedly” until the perpetrator is convicted of a crime. This is just literally correct as until they’re convicted they’re only alleged to have committed a crime. Media complies with this because even if they have a video maybe the case goes south and the guy in the video ducks the charge. Then he could bring legal action against anyone who definitively said he did something as opposed to using allegedly.

The article is scarce on details but it sounds like police and public prosecutors have woken up to the case and are investigating avenues of prosecution. Definitely not a lawyer, don’t believe anything I say at face value.

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[–] squirrelwithnut 6 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

"allegedly" ... "caught on surveillance video". huh?

[–] stoly 8 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

That’s ethics. It has to be proven in court before the press can report on it as fact. Until then, it’s libel to say anything but alleged.

[–] Etterra 3 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Not just ethics; until found guilty they could be held civil liable if they didn't say "allegedly".

[–] stoly 2 points 2 weeks ago

Hence my reference to libel.

[–] Bruhh 5 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

How was this scumbag not arrested immediately?

[–] Numenor 2 points 2 weeks ago

He's greased up

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 weeks ago
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