Teen Violence And Self Defense?
Should children learn self defense?
The rise of violence in our schools and the crimes committed on our streets by juveniles has hit a disgusting peak and I’m here to say YES…kids need to learn how to defend themselves!
What really pissed me off this week was the burning of a 15-year old, Michael Brewer, at the hands of a group of gang members who had been terrorizing him for some time.
Here’s a link to the full story: Michael Brewer – Burned By Gang Members
Michael Brewer, 15, couldn’t get away from his attackers despite not going to school. His mother said the boy was so afraid of the gang of boys - all 15-years old or younger - that he refused to go to school on Monday and they had set up a conference with school administration for Tuesday.
That proved to be too late. Brewer was attacked by five other students from Deerfield Beach Middle School and badly burned after the boys held him down, doused him with rubbing alcohol and then set him on fire. Police believe it was all retaliation over a bicycle.
Brewer suffered second- and third-degree burns over 65 percent of his body and is expected to take more than a year of intense physical therapy to recover from his injuries.
“It’s a complete nightmare,” Valerie Brewer said.
The vengeful attack follows several other instances of school and teen violence that have made national headlines.
Locally, Coral Gables High School turned into a bloody murder scene after Juan Carlos Rivera was stabbed to death by classmate Andy Rodriguez.
In Chicago, the school violence issue came to a head after video footage surfaced of a student beaten to death during a brawl at a school bus stop.
This news story really pissed me off and broke my heart at the same time. To the point that I can’t HELP but do something! In fact, our ISCQC organization will be making a contribution to the boy’s recovery to show him that we feel for his misfortune and that the world is pulling for him. If you’d like to do the same, you may do so using the information at the bottom of this news story about Michael.
Unfortunately, Michael is not the only one victimized in today’s schools. Having consulted with many schools in areas infested by gang violence and witnessing initiations and retaliations first hand, the group mind-set of ruthless gang members feeds on more and more violence and they become conditioned to care less and less about the consequences to their victims.
Frankly, I don’t care whether a kid learns Tae Kwon Do or WWII combatives…ANYTHING that will help a teen learn how to punch and give them practice in how to hit someone could mean the difference between life or death. Of course, I’m partial to learning how to remove someone’s eyesight for the rest of their life or kick their balls so far up into their body they’ll come out their mouth if they’re trying to hold me down while dousing me or my loved ones with alcohol to set us on fire.
The choice is a personal one. I remember my 9 year old son watching me train with a self defense DVD and the next day we got a phone call from his school principal that he had struck someone in the neck during recess while “practicing” self defense. Ok, I get it…there’s a responsibility that comes with training in particularly brutal tactics. But we don’t live in “Gangland, USA” either. If we did, I’d have to say that I’d be showing him a hell of a lot more!
Your thoughts? Share your comments below…
Hi Jeff and fellow readers,
Here on Aruba, we fortunately do not experience that much violence on schools and outside schools. But sometimes, yes, also here there are some children and young ‘adults’ who think it is pretty courageous to fight because they are member of a gang – or just because they are mad. Our 10 year old son sees me often train, and now and then I tease him a little – but, up till now, he doesn’t have any inclination to participate in combat-training. He just really doesn’t like it.
Possibly, the problem could be mostly cultural. I can remember very well that we went on vacation to America, when Nick (our son) saw a little girl being bullied by a boy which was older than him. He went to that boy and said very clearly to him, that it is not fair to bully (he was 6 at that time). Of course, the bully went on to bully him also. At that moment he went to me, saying – in English – that the boy wasn’t fair. So I went with him and the boy to the mother of the boy, where I explained in a friendly way what the situation was. Of course, the mother was somewhat upset, and made it clear that our son had to learn to stand up for himself, because, that’s the Amercan way. Now, I don’t know if this is the case, but I can imagine. So, if you are mad because of something, you have to stand up for yourself – quite logical isn’t it? Well, I think it depends. In the first place, what is the situation? Is it live-threatening? Is there some space to inquire first?
In my experience – I train for combat since I was 16 (now I am 51), I never had to use it … Never! That’s not because there never had been a situation – because there have been several. But my first stance is, to become very appreciative of the other guy and to be slightly curious in a friendly way. Up till now, I only have fought in the Dojo and other places where I have trained. So, perhaps, the first thing we have to do, is not to be afraid, or angry (which emotions are basically the same), but to try to communicate. Of course, if that doesn’t help – and I can imagine very well that sometimes you really can’t communicate – you’d better be ready to stand your ground.
In my circumstances on our beautiful Island of Aruba, which are of course somewhat friendlier than in the states, I’ve experienced tremendous pro’s because of being appreciative as a lifestyle. I allways remember that even the greatest villan allways thinks he is right. Even the idiots who have done so much damage to Micheal Brewer.
So YES – everyone potential victim should learn combat skills, and lets hope that every potential villan does not.
Yes, I am a firm believer that our children should be taught combative self defense. In the society that we live in it dictates that this is a need for our self esteem and well being. This young man will carry with him alot of scars that no plastic surgeon will ever be able to repair. When something like this happens to someone the psychological effects last a lifetime.
If we gave our children the proper education and arsenol of knowledge and tools, such as combative self defense, I believe the occurances of situations such as this one would be drastically lowered. Even if only one child benefitted from it this type of education would be well worth the time.
Well Jeff, you just made my day. Now im pissed off also. Yes i do think that teens should learn self defense today because of the world we live in today.Lets not forget that they also need to learn responsbility too. I have ben a scrapper all my life. I don’t like bullies or gangs. I’m not just a father of five but i have fourteen grandchildren also. And yes they all either know self defense or are in the learning stage. And i don’t give a hoot what the schools or the public think about it. I’m so pissed off right now i’d like to go to florida and get my hands on this so call gang right now myself. Sorry, Jeff but i think i’d better go before i say too much. And as far as the boy, my prayers are with him and his family.
I sent both my daughter and son to karate classes when they were 7 or 8. My daughter, in her early teens was approached by three youths in a car park. She kicked one in the testicles and the other two ran away. She is now 26 and my son is 24. They have both continued (with gaps) and are almost at black belt standard and my son has done two other martial arts, at present tai quando. I don’t think that they have ever misused their training and I am glad that they stand a reasonable chance of defending themselves if necessary. I am now 67 but strong and fit and while I would be very cautious and try to avoid trouble, I do not feel afraid to go anywhere.
When my stepdaughter was in third grade she was being harassed by other girls, came home crying all the time and no one at school seemed able to correct the other children’s issues or behavior. So I took her and her older brother into the backyard , on base housing, and taught them to street fight, with the caveat that they would not start anything, but would be sure to finish it. About a week later I got a call in the aidstation, from her principal, that she had been in a fight. I queried as to had started it, the principal seemed to think this unimportant, so I hung up. She called back and I repeated the question, she said the other girls had started it. I politely informed her I approved of this and not to bother me with such calls again unless my daughter started it, at which point I would handle her at home. I never got another call. My youngest son is now 4 and we are looking for a martial arts school for him, and when he is old enough I will teach him the same techniques I taught my daughter, street fighting for self defense
THANK YOU SO MUCH TONY FOR THAT COMMENT! YOU ARE A GOOD MAN! CARL!
Jeff,
This sort of things is happening more often than most know. Many of these incidences occur below the radar or in ways that leave schools and such “Clear” of responsibilities. I heard of this principle that told this 8 year old girl’s parents that she must have asked for the punishment from another student. A larger, held back therefore older, boy that had a liking for kneeing younger kids especially girls in the stomach.
Preparing our youth is a necessary and desperate need. When statistics show that as many as 8 in 10 women will have some sort of unwanted sexual encounter before the age of 18 it is way beyond time to do something and stop pussy-footing around. Our need to be politically correct is no longer a needed value, or respected enough in all corners to be responsible for teaching our youth.
My Capoeria Maestre often stamps this quote on everything. “Civilize the mind but make savage the body.” If all students received training in physical defense. Then there would be less likely the ability for them to fall prey to others. I think that TAI CHI would be a great thing that we could introduce to students. That will get us in the door. Get the basic training needed and physical mental training in place so that kids gain better situational awareness. That alone will decrease victimology. But it will open the gateway to demonstrate the value of this kind of education, the mental physical discipline that all of them will benefit from. And though Tai Chi could be devastating if learned correctly the truth is that if taught as a chi gong exercise the students would have to reach out on their own to make it a combative art. But as a defensive skill the footwork and blocking and postures are all being taught.
The training would need to teach the basics in defensive knowledge. Things that everyone should know. Try to always work/play walk home with others.
The other side of this is punishment. Kids out there bullying others that age should be tried as adults for violent crimes and punished by isolated hard labor. No general population, no training them to be better criminals. Putting together widgets in a small cell alone.
I wish the world could be like the one Tae wanted in his comments. But the criminals out there will not conform because we want them to. We cannot go out there and stop them all preemptively. So we are left with training our youth to be prepared. Stop the BS from the public schools that play games with their “no tolerance” policies that fail to be able to punish those that don’t care. You know I personally think the same I have always thought about airplane security. Let us carry anything we want on board. That will be far more effective deterrent. Not knowing how many are packing weapons makes it a situational nightmare for someone trying to plan something. Same with a school. These kids are victims because they are trying to live by a civil standard that does not exist. They are law abiding themselves into victimhood.
This needs to stop.
Just a few of my thoughts.
Sincerely,
Larry Clements
Owner Instructor Phoenix Eye Dragon Claw Dojo
I def. believe in teaching them hand to hand combat, and self defense techniques. I think you leave some of the more brutal/lethal techniques out until they are old enough or demonstrate they understand that these moves are only to be used in situations where they fear for their lives. The last thing you want is to teach a kid these moves in good intentions, but they don’t understand they are only to be used as last resort. Next thing you know the kid severely injures another kid in something like a basic school fight and you are being sued.
Yes.
Use your best judgement when dealing with what techniques to impart. Be tuned in to the emotional maturity of your student. But above all, start with the reality of the street, then awareness/ scanning, movement and positioning, pre attack cues, verbal challenges, the fence, more scanning, more body positioning, calling 911 (if a viable option), and don’t forget tactical RUNNING AWAY! If fight is on, also teach tactical disengaging afterwards and don’t forget battlefield pickup/ different weapon(s) orientation (KISS!) and improvised weapons. WHEW!
responsibility for ones actions, escalation of force, self defense and defense of others. children can and should be taught, and taught thoroughly, bullies are just small thugs and criminals, as long as there are victims they will continue to be a terror, so as we adults have chosen that we will not be victims we need to choose that our children will have the means necessary to overcome the adversaries also. semper fi
I think they need to make those five individuals serve jail time or their country. They need to experience what it is like to defend themselves against another person(s).
Yes, I think kids should learn some kind of self defense. But, they have to be discipline. I wouldn’t want them to use combat training on innocent people. If they did,they wouldn’t be any better than the gang bangers. These kids have to have an code of respect, with this combat training.
Absolutely!!! All children and adults should be able to protect themselves. Not only is knowing how to defend yourself extremely important for your safety, but it also gives kids confidence.
Jeff, I agree with those who say kids should learn self defense and morals and ethics. One must keep in mind, though, the legal and economic penalties that may result from beating another human being or animal up, even in self defense.My insurance company, for instance, has a separate company that works for them to determine if another party besides God or sickness, say another person, inflicted serious injury necessitating my doctor care, and could that party be held legally responsible for my medical bills.
Hmmm I’m not so sure just teaching self defense is the answer to everything.
Exa. One group of kids was being pick on by another group of kids so they formed their own gang and it’s called White Fence in Los Angeles.
Another Exa. One group of older kids kept getting in trouble so they got sent to Youth Authority and formed their own gang to protect themselves from other gangs. That prison gang is called The Mexican Mafia.
When I was in my 20′s, I knew of some kids that were getting picked by Latinos so they went to a man that taught them self-defense, knife fighting, and how to use various weapons including guns. These kids turned around and started a gang called “Armenian Power” and started killing Latinos.
The point is, Violence begats Violence. What about the parents? Why arent they held just as responsible? No one likes to hear about their children being hurt.
If we head down that road of sending every child to prison, they are bound to be released and back on your doorstep. Kill them you say? Once we take that step to start killing everyone we think should be then they have a word for it,
it’s called murder. Too many factors to end the violence.
But I do agree children should learn to defend themselves.
I do think those kids that did this terrible act should be sentence to life so that they may not harm anyone again. I am not a Liberal nor Conservative just an American concerned about our children’s safety.
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The problem with fighting gang members or other “street thugs” is that even if one successfully wins the fight, they will be back for revenge and in larger numbers. The rule of the gangs and the street thugs is never leave a loss unpunished. A defeat of one is seen as a defeat of all and they will be back to even the score.
The mistake that this family made was in going to the school and not to the police for protection; the school’s job is to teach; the police’s job is to protect. When dealing with dangerous street thugs, one must go immediately to the police, keep the child out of school, and even to move, if necessary.
Why move? Because street thugs think nothing of maiming, mutilating, and killing those who they perceive as having “disrespected” them. Gangs and thugs, no matter how young, are very dangerous people who need to be reported to the police and avoided at all costs. Knowing how to punch is good, but against 5, 6, 7 or more thugs, possibly armed with knives, clubs, and guns, it is not enough to save one.
As former law enfrocement officer and a current North Carolina Department of Justice Concealed Carry Instructor, I personally feel everyone should learn to defend themselves in this violent world we find ourselves living in. I am teaching adults how to dfend themsleves with a firearm and at the same time telling them to find a self defense school and learn how to defend themselves physically, when the use of deadly force is not justified.I like yoou methods and think they are what is needed. I am not sure that martial arts as learned in a DoJo are what is required. Violent self efense methods are better and easier to learn
Should children learn Close Quarter Combat? The short quick answer is Absolutely. To me Close Quarter Combat in a civilian sense starts with Awareness teaching avoidance of trouble adapting to the environment and if this fails then acting responsibly. If the fight cant be avoided then its a fifty fifty chance the flip of a coin wether the victim will be seriously injured or killed. My opinion as to what I just mentioned, are not very good odds to take a chance on our children who fall victims to violent crime. OOh by the way VIOLENT CRIME HAPPENS ONCE EVERY 35 SECONDS here in the US. If A Parent chooses not to get their children involved in Close Quarter Combat then at least teach awareness but think about what if it fails? If A parent Chooses to get their children involved in Close Quarter Combat training then make it a commitment practice what you have learned.
I definitely, 100,000,000,000,000,000,000,000% think that kids should learn a form of self defense. But not just learn self defense/martial arts, but learn the history behind it and be passionate about it. Not trying to use it to just beat up someone they don’t like or something. I’m not the greatest fighter myself because I only know how to street fight, and I’ve not gone out of my way to get into fights or anything, but as a Senior in high school, I myself would consider it invaluable to learn a form of self defense/martial art. (one reason I can’t wait to join the Marine Corps.)Not only will it boost your confidence in your daily life, it’s something you can use all your life if you need it.
Everyone, including kids has a right to defend themselves. Unfortunately, our new Supreme, when questioned, stated that there is no right of self-defense of any kind.
I agree that all children should receive some form of self defense training. I was fortunate that i have had the privilege to train for twenty three years in the martial arts. My two year old already has caught on to the martial arts rather well just by watching me and his fourteen year old older brother. I think that the judicial system is partially to blame as well. If they treated these gang members (juveniles) more like adults when they get caught that would give them more to think about…not to mention proper parenting.
I believe all people should be trained to defend them selves. Problem arizes, we all know how so we are all back on even ground. That “gang of boys” would still have the upper hand because they too would have had training and would have numbers on their side.
Disipline is the key. It all goes back to the home life and societies moral decay.
Here’s my thoughts for the record:
a) shut your mouth and open your eyes
b) know how to do serious damage
c) always close the distance to the leader and get in close
If you can’t close the leader, and the odds are way bad, run like hell.
yes i think kids should get involved in something positive,something that will teach certain values and make them grow in a particular direction. akin to the military classes such as close quarters combat would be worth taking!they give skills and mental awareness thats not picked up just anywhere.atleast next time something like this happens if they have studied good they have more than one way out plus not end up on the losing end. harold clanton
I grew up smaller than almost everyone around me. I learned at a very early age how intimidating a bully can be. I also resolved to never allow anyone to bully me ever again. I trained and studied Tae Kwon Do and made it to blackbelt 3rd degree. It didn’t take my kicking some big guys ass too many times for the word to get out not to bully me. I think every child should be able to at least get support from adults when they complain of being bullied. If the kid learns to rearrange a bullies outlook in the proccess MORe POWER TO HIM OR HER!!!
Children, like anyone else, have a fundamental right to defend their person or that of another. (pursuant to Florida Statute 776.012 and preamble to the Florida Constitution). When a youth is taught self-defense it should be done in the proper manner which aligns with morals conductive to the rights of others. Thus the youth must be taught not just combative techniques, but the mental and moral training which accompanies such.
In the case of the youth being burned, it is indeed a pity that he could not defend himself effectively. And in “real-life” circumstances, that could mean the difference between life and death. I choose life.
I say teach them R.O.E. and go from there.
Yes, self-defense training is good for young people and martial arts schools take them at an early age. Properly taught fighting skills has a number of benefits: the ability to defend oneself, learning the value of discipline, building self-confidence, decision-making enhancement, personal courage development and more. In addition to learning these skills, the youngster should be schooled also in ways to first avoid physical confrontation as the first alternative without any stigma of shame or fear. Fight only when circumstances and environment give you no choice to avoid. The American-Vietnamese people I know are seeing to it that their kids get music lessons as well as Kung-fu training.
those punk kids are monsters and extremely evil to the core people do such things like deserve a good ass whoopin and to be lock up for good yes this poor kid definitely needed to take some self defense alright tae kwon do karate boxing ju-jutsu are very good to know yes anything really is enough maybe it would have save his life to fight back
Such pack mentality bullying is terrifying for kids and adults alike. They feed off eachother’s agression and violence so you have to expect the worst. Anyone with enough time training in almost any martial art would have a better chance than someone who doesn’t even know how to deliver a blow or fall or roll correctly. So, yes, I do believe that a rounded martial art (MMA); one that helped a youngster feel more comfortable on his feet as well as on the ground would still be beneficial. Inflict some serious damage on one or two and the rest may run like the cowards they are.
I, as a young teen, do believe in self-defense. Considering street gangs are a big deal nowadays and the criminal activity has grown, I believe everyone should know how to defend themselves form these scum-bags.
This story is like many, and i feel all kids should learn how to defend themselves, and Combatives training is the way to go. The kids also need to learn that when they use their training it is for keeps, and they do not stop until the bully is down and unable to fight, hurting so bad that they and their friends will remember the beating for the rest of their lives.
But the kids who train in Combatives also need to be taught the responsibility of having this set of unique skills.
I believe it is hard to some times stress the importantance of self defense or even train all kids due to there demeanor. But I think if your kids cant or won’t protect themselves it s your responsibility as their guardian to keep them safe. If the threat was there for some time some thing would have been done to protect my kids. I wish that young man and his family gods speed.
I think it is a good Idea to teach them, but the most important thing would be for them to learn the respondisbility ( think I may have spelled that wrong) that goes with the know how. But the the guardings of the kids that do things wrong should be held respondisble as much as the kids that do things wrong, and I dont mean with just money either, should be some kind of jail time for them also. If parents had to be held accountable for what their kids are doing maybe they would keep a closer eye on them and teach them better. i know when my oldest son was having trouble in school and I was told if he did not get in line I could do jail time, and I was keeping a very watchful I on him already, boy did his life get better when he was dropped of by the school bus at my work and he had to spend everyday after school like that for two months, for two months where I went he went, and it worked good, he did not like school and was doing the 10th grade for the thrid time, but because I started paying very close attention to him, which was good for both of us, he went and took his GED and had his diploma from that before he would have finished school, the school gave him a award for doing such.
Absolutely children should be taught combative style self defense…so long as they have been properly qualified as being mentally stable. I am a full time martial arts instructor and I teach 7 yrs and up. Children need a good foundation of rules and reasons with the self control so they dont just learn to do damage to other kids but if taught properly then children definitely need to know how to defend themselves.
I have had several kids in the past ranging from 9-17 tell me about how they were attacked but they got away from the attacker(s) using what they had learned in my classes.
What happened to this young guy is tragic and completely un-necessary. It also could have been prevented.
I beleive that children that have strong backgrounds in morality,good religious teachings along with the right parents that teach them how important it is to walk away from a fight when it seems wrong to do so yet having good psycoligical training that fighting is the last result and when things become life threatening then they should know how to unleash the most devestating self defense training on how to defend and protect themselves that they know. but on the flip side of the coin they need to know how important it is to walk away when the threat of eminate danger is over. They should talk to thier parents or a police officer and report the incident so this criminal behavior will stop.
I believe every survival skill a child should learn ,from cooking to self defense,because survival at its best favored the fittest(or knowledgeable),and indeed we can also manage to help those who need to learn to fish instead of giving them fishes everytime.Yes self defense IS A MUST to learn..especially in these times we are living.So kids learn,defend,help and stay alive.Peace.
I’m 61 and live in a South Asian country. Here, not only school children are attacked, but also, young girls, women (30-50) and old people (50+) are attacked. It will be a great, great service, if you device comprehensive fight-back strategies for each group, I have identified above. If fact, you will get blessings from all those people, who save themselves with fight-backs, using your comprehensive and practical fight-back strategies. Be a good boy and, start working on it. Don’t forget to refine the strategies, you develop, by discussing them with the experts in this field. Good luck.
How heartbreaking could this possibly get? Even after trying to avoid his attackers, it was all in vein. Even when the lad didn’t want to go to school anymore, because of these attacks, he was almost burned to death. What in the bloody Hell has our society come to?
Back to the question in hand. Should children and young teens be taught self-defense or martial arts? Absolutely! They should learn every aspect, including deadly force and when it is appropriate to use it. They need to understand what this type of training will do to someone, so that it isn’t used in a foolish manner. I also believe that it is necessary for parents to be involved with their children and what is going on in school, and even get on the backs of the schools and the entire education system for not being more proactive in preventing this type of mob behavior from happening on campus. Even if it means lawsuits against the school district, and the personnel responsible on the campuses and school districts, from the Superintendent on down to the Principal of the school.
I have had hand to hand combat training while in the military.The level of training was for one purpose only.and
that was to take out your adversary for good. However I do feel that boys and girls need to know how to protect themself, where do we draw the line as to what level. I am by no mean an expert in this field. Maybe we need to
get the parents and the schools to be involved more.
Yes kids and everyone should learn self defense. Bullies should be wiped off the face of the earth and it should be a criminal offense . I f***en hate bullies and they all should be shot and pissed on. And that goes for all the terrorists and the list is endless
I am teaching all my litle grands,nieces,nephews,some of kicks, chops,punches etc.. just playing as a a game.I think you would be a fool not to teach it to all your kids.Protect your family.
I’m not sure what to think, for several reasons.
A few years ago I and some neighbour children was having a fun time wrestling each other. One of them was a 9 year old girl. I was very careful and gentle, not to hurt her, but still, suddenly without any reason at all, she kicked me between my legs.
I said “What the h…??? Why did you do that???” she said that her mother had taught her that if anybody was mean to her, she should kick them between their legs.
I then said “Then why did you kick me? I wasn’t mean to you, right? We were only having fun.” She kind of agreed, and couldn’t really explain why she did it.
This girl clearly couldn’t judge when to use this defence correctly. I learned that she actually believed that whenever anyone did somthing that she didn’t like, for example if a class mate didn’t want to share his candy with her, they were being “mean” to her, and it was okay to kick them between their legs.
And there is also the risk that the bad guys learn self defence techniques to be more effective when bullying others.
This is really tragic. While I don’t think America should use corporal punishment to the extent that S’pore does, I think that many U.S. states should use the same kind of system that New Zealand used to have.
There, if a 16- or 17-year-old male was really out of control and committing serious crimes, then the authorities (with the parents’ signed permission) could administer up to 2 strokes of the cane to the young delinquent.
I had a mate from NZ who told me that when he was younger, he learned a valuable lesson from this. I don’t think they use the can anymore though, at least not since the late 1980′s.
sorry, the “cane”, and not the can (they still use the can, I hope:)
hell ya kids should be tuaght how to defend themselves. i learnt the hard way by getting the crap kicked outta me everyday in school till i turned around and slammed him into a locker.
semper fi
I think that a person should be taught morals and values before they be taught self defense.
teach them cqc, aslong as they dont abuse what they learn then it would be pretty good for them to be able to defend themselves, but then again, sometimes the victim does become the bully once they know how