Ask HN: Would compensating victims of bullying in schools reduce bullying?

2 points·amichail··7 comments

Would a school bully really want the government to pay his victims?

As pavel_lishin says, as long as the bully/their family aren't paying, they don't care. If you drive drunk and crash and disable someone, you're not paying their Medicaid all by yourself. If you did, there might be less drunk driving (though given the poor decision making and impulsivity alcohol precipitates, not that much).

What if the bullying victim got enough money to buy a sports car?

The amount doesn't matter. As long as the government, and not the bully, is paying, the bully won't care.

Why would they care?

Also, isn't this just a cobra problem waiting to happen?

I mean cities pay tons of money in police violence settlements but it doesn't seem to stop police violence at all

Perhaps there is an opportunity here for the bully’s parents to go after the victim’s parents to dun some money and increase the loot haul.

“Okay Brad, now I want you to sure to target little Billy, because it seems like his parents would be the type of folks to file a claim.”

Are there really people out there so consumed with obsession over government fiscal policy that they would seriously believe that a little 8-year old kid with bullying tendencies gives half a flying F about taxes or government spending? Unbelievable.

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