All-day school schedules

It looks like I’m back in the crosshairs again, though this time there isn't much substance behind the criticism. 🥱 Honestly, if my posts are getting under your skin, you can always just hit the ignore button—there's no need to subject yourself to my ramblings if you don't want to.
It feels like whenever some of you bring up the topic of full-day schooling, the conversation immediately narrows down to nothing but Fuchsov's specific proposal. To be fair, I haven't even read the fine print on that yet, and I’m sure it has its flaws. Personally, I don't think tethering kids to a single teacher all day is a winning strategy. I totally get why people are frustrated by the prospect of an increased workload—I'd be annoyed too if my job description suddenly expanded overnight. But for me, the debate about full-day school is about the bigger picture, not just one politician's plan.
If you look at how other countries handle this, there are actually some solid models out there. Take Germany, for example—they utilize two different approaches. One is similar to our after-school programs, where parents can pick up their kids once the core classes are done, whenever they need to. The other is a mandatory full-day system that keeps students in school until the late afternoon. Now, Germany generally performs slightly above average on PISA tests, but they noticed a massive gap in student achievement based on socioeconomic status. The logic behind full-day schooling there is to level the playing field for those kids. A lot of them are children of immigrants who might not be hearing much English at home, rather than kids with actual learning disabilities. Looking ahead, I expect we'll see a similar demographic shift here in the US over the next decade.
The more I dig into this, the more I realize there is no "perfect" setup—not just for full-day schools, but for the entire education system, really. It’s going to take a lot of trial and error to figure out what truly works for everyone involved—the students, the parents, and the teachers. There is definitely no one-size-fits-all solution, so I think having some built-in flexibility is absolutely essential.

Yeah, we’re talking about the big issues sitting right on the table—the stuff hanging over our heads—that we’ve honestly spent way too much time analyzing.
Honestly, if they just made free after-school programs available for elementary students (with their own dedicated teacher, obviously) for anyone who actually needs it, that would be a massive leap forward.

And as for this whole nonsense about lacking mandatory instructional hours just so we can look good for the OECD—which, let's be real, we aren't even part of—well, there’s a simple fix. Just move preschool into the elementary schools. Voila! There go your 700 extra hours right there if they’re only doing 4 hours a day. And if you throw in an after-school program? Boom. Done. Now, sure, that requires a little bit of actual organization and hiring some people, but hey, instead of doing that, they could just sign a piece of paper declaring the first two years of high school "mandatory." Suddenly, you’ve got another 2,500 hours added to the curriculum instantly. We’d jump halfway up the ladder of whatever organizational standard we're supposedly trying to meet. Wouldn't that be just brilliant? 🤣

Sarah Hall53 said:Yeah, we’re talking about the big issues sitting right on the table—the stuff hanging over our heads—that we’ve honestly spent way too much time analyzing.
Honestly, if they just made free after-school programs available for elementary students (with their own dedicated teacher, obviously) for anyone who actually needs it, that would be a massive leap forward.

And as for this whole nonsense about lacking mandatory instructional hours just so we can look good for the OECD—which, let's be real, we aren't even part of—well, there’s a simple fix. Just move preschool into the elementary schools. Voila! There go your 700 extra hours right there if they’re only doing 4 hours a day. And if you throw in an after-school program? Boom. Done. Now, sure, that requires a little bit of actual organization and hiring some people, but hey, instead of doing that, they could just sign a piece of paper declaring the first two years of high school "mandatory." Suddenly, you’ve got another 2,500 hours added to the curriculum instantly. We’d jump halfway up the ladder of whatever organizational standard we're supposedly trying to meet. Wouldn't that be just brilliant? 🤣

I’m with you there—the Canadian schools have implemented something similar for the younger grades (though I'm not positive if it's totally free), and I'm fairly certain that plays a role in their academic success—apparently about 84% of their students utilize after-school care.

Carl Bishop2 said:It looks like I’m back in the crosshairs again, though this time there isn't much substance behind the criticism. 🥱 Honestly, if my posts are getting under your skin, you can always just hit the ignore button—there's no need to subject yourself to my ramblings if you don't want to.
It feels like whenever some of you bring up the topic of full-day schooling, the conversation immediately narrows down to nothing but Fuchsov's specific proposal. To be fair, I haven't even read the fine print on that yet, and I’m sure it has its flaws. Personally, I don't think tethering kids to a single teacher all day is a winning strategy. I totally get why people are frustrated by the prospect of an increased workload—I'd be annoyed too if my job description suddenly expanded overnight. But for me, the debate about full-day school is about the bigger picture, not just one politician's plan.
If you look at how other countries handle this, there are actually some solid models out there. Take Germany, for example—they utilize two different approaches. One is similar to our after-school programs, where parents can pick up their kids once the core classes are done, whenever they need to. The other is a mandatory full-day system that keeps students in school until the late afternoon. Now, Germany generally performs slightly above average on PISA tests, but they noticed a massive gap in student achievement based on socioeconomic status. The logic behind full-day schooling there is to level the playing field for those kids. A lot of them are children of immigrants who might not be hearing much English at home, rather than kids with actual learning disabilities. Looking ahead, I expect we'll see a similar demographic shift here in the US over the next decade.
The more I dig into this, the more I realize there is no "perfect" setup—not just for full-day schools, but for the entire education system, really. It’s going to take a lot of trial and error to figure out what truly works for everyone involved—the students, the parents, and the teachers. There is definitely no one-size-fits-all solution, so I think having some built-in flexibility is absolutely essential.

Don't you realize we're all pushing back against Fuchs's idea because it could directly affect our own kids?
Have you considered that your child's school might apply for the pilot program? If they get selected, your kid would be part of that model... not just for the first four grades, but for everything... at least for four years, and if the experiment goes well, it stays that way indefinitely...
The application window is open until April 28th.
What happens if your child's school applies and actually gets picked?

Parents are the ones asking for childcare and having everything handled on campus. If you actually asked the kids, they'd probably only stay longer if they were guaranteed playtime. Under current PBU rules, they have very little freedom, and according to the CNA proposal, they'll have even less. Plus, with the PBU, you can opt out or choose not to stay that day, but the CN is mandatory for everyone.
A lot of parents, influenced by media headlines (without actually reading the documents), think this is only about the elementary grades. You should see the look on people's faces when I tell them it actually applies to all grades! Many also believe it's great just because "that's how they do it in the West"—but I know plenty of examples where that isn't the case, or where Western models aren't necessarily better. Others think kids will get a better education through full-day schooling simply because "Europe does it better."

You guys keep bringing up PISA scores like they're this amazing indicator showing how poorly America is performing.
During the advisory sessions, there was mention of TIMSS and PIRLS testing, which actually show that our kids aren't struggling with reading or math literacy. Why don't those tests ever get mentioned in the news here? 🤔

Carl Bishop2 said:I’m with you there—the Canadian schools have implemented something similar for the younger grades (though I'm not positive if it's totally free), and I'm fairly certain that plays a role in their academic success—apparently about 84% of their students utilize after-school care.

The situation in Canada is pretty similar to what we had back when we first introduced those programs.
The real question is why we scrapped them in the early nineties (and it was actually the Republican Party that cut them, though they seem to be trying to bring them back now, just in a much worse version)

Plus, Canada offers homeschooling options, which—if you ask me—has plenty of downsides when it comes to kids' socialization, even for children with special needs. This aggressive push toward full-day schooling is stirring up a lot of debate from people fighting for homeschooling rights. If that movement gains too much ground, it could end up being a real setback for a lot of kids.

While Timms evaluates both 4th and 8th graders, the US only focused on the 4th grade this time—and looking at the data, our results landed just a bit above the baseline.
It would be really fascinating to dig into how these scores fluctuate by country when you account for age; I mean, some places were testing kids at an average of 9.6 years old, while others were closer to 10.8. In the US, the average age was about 10.5. Interestingly, Canadians and Estonians don't participate in these specific tests, and Mexicans tend to score slightly lower than Americans here—though they fall much further behind on the PISA exams. As for Canada, their performance across all testing is, frankly, a disaster.

In my opinion, PISA tests aren't a true reflection of what students actually know.
The questions are often so poorly defined—it's almost like they're designed to trick kids into getting things wrong.
Since these aren't graded assignments, I guess there isn't much incentive for them to really focus or try.

If teachers went through those types of problems with their students a few times before the actual test, the scores would probably improve. But honestly, I think that would just be massaging the numbers rather than measuring real knowledge.

Carl Bishop2, of course we’re discussing Fuchs' proposal since she's the one directly impacting us 🤷
I think most of us here agree that allowing a student to stay at school to finish homework and earn extra credit isn't a bad idea.
Our main issue is with the part where Fuchs suggests forcing kids to sit in a classroom for an extra two or three hours.
In our current system, that just doesn't seem right—not for the students who actually need the help, and certainly not for those who don't.

I definitely agree with what Susan James said. People without kids in the 10-18 age range just don't seem to grasp the reality of what’s being proposed or how much it will actually impact daily life.
My mom was honestly pretty shocked that I was against it—she couldn't understand why, since she thought kids would have more free time and wouldn't have any chores to do at home. But it's nothing like the current situation, where my poor niece has to spend her entire weekend studying for seven different tests and finishing five projects for next week.😂

I don't know what you're trying to say here. It’s just one word. If you have an actual point to make, then make it. Otherwise, why even post? kaže:
Just because "someone" benefits from a mountain of extra credit every single day, and just because "someone" can't seem to finish an assignment without help, doesn't mean "everyone" should be forced to deal with endless supplemental work and constant supervision. And that's how it goes for eight years. Eight YEARS!!!
Exactly—residency permits are there for those who actually want them or are required to have them. But let’s be real: not everyone wants one, and certainly not everyone needs one. And they definitely don't need to be stuck dealing with that for 8 YEARS!!!
Look, this isn't even personal. I’m not attacking you directly, but your posts are just way too overly empathetic toward a minority dealing with school struggles. It makes it seem like the majority is expected to constantly bend over backward just so that small group can fit in at any cost. Maybe it's just my take, but it feels like average or even high-achieving kids are being penalized—like they have teachers breathing down their necks for eight hours a day just to finish assignments they could easily do in their sleep.
If this actually happens, we’re going to end up raising and educating entire generations of completely helpless, incompetent losers. I guess it's inevitable at this rate.
They might as well just invent some sort of full-day care model for kids requiring individualized accommodations—assuming their diagnoses, like ADHD, don't strictly prohibit it. But if they go that route, those programs should be run by actual professionals—pedagogues, psychologists, special educators, and speech therapists—working in small groups or one-on-one. Anything else is pointless.
It’s honestly ridiculous to screw over an entire class for eight years just because of some scheduling nonsense. We're stuck with this eight-hour "workday" when the reality is a total mess: Ivan doesn't even have a proper desk, Stefan can't wrap his head around math, and Bara is struggling with dyslexia. It's just poorly managed.🙄

Exactly.
It feels like people have been playing the victim since their school days. Honestly, just hand over your pathetic little diagnoses and your endless list of grievances so these people with messiah complexes can pretend they’re performing some grand act of social good. It's exhausting—there is just so much empty, hollow sentimentality out there, from high-ranking government officials all the way down the ladder.
The reality is a total mess that doesn't serve anyone. There are students with diagnoses who belong in specialized classrooms or integrated programs with dedicated aides—that’s the only way this works, and frankly, it's the only fair approach for them, the other students, and the teachers alike. I guess my view is that kids with specific needs should be working with educational therapists and specialists who actually know how to help them master the curriculum based on their individual abilities. Professional support isn't optional; it's necessary.
That’s only one side of the story. We also have kids who struggle academically, so parents take them for evaluations just to get a piece of paper—and those papers can be used to justify just about anything. You end up with students where it's impossible to invest even the slightest bit of mental effort into modifying criteria, offering extra credit, or providing more time, because if you did, they'd just use those accommodations to pad their grades. Now, we're looking at a situation where all the kids are stuck sitting in summer school with them, endlessly repeating material they couldn't grasp in the first place.
Furthermore, you end up dealing with kids who have legitimate issues, yet their parents act completely oblivious and refuse any kind of intervention. So, you’re left struggling with these various disorders without even knowing where to begin.
Then you have the kids with behavioral disorders. In my opinion, they’re the toughest group to deal with—often dangerous to themselves and everyone around them. You practically can't do anything with them; they sabotage the entire learning process and cause daily disruptions, yet they just cycle through the school system without any meaningful change or improvement in their behavior. It honestly gives me the chills to think that, under this massive new plan, all children will be forced to spend twice as much time locked in rooms with them. Some kids are already desperate to just get home the second they finish class if there's someone like that in the room—or even just a typical bully without a diagnosis. Now, imagine having to eat lunch with them and then deal with that chaos all afternoon. It’s horrific. What a wonderful way to enrich the educational experience.
The most neglected group out there is actually well-behaved, polite, average, or even high-achieving kids. It sounds harsh, I guess, but that’s just how it is. We are constantly obsessed with some kind of collective rehabilitation and forced equity. It’s a grim reality.

Then you have the kids with behavioral disorders. In my view, they’re the toughest group—often dangerous to themselves and everyone else. There isn't much you can do with them; they undermine the entire teaching process and cause near-daily disruptions, yet they just drift through the school system without any real progress or change in behavior. It gives me chills thinking that under this grand new plan, kids will be stuck in classrooms with them twice as long as before. Some kids are already desperate to run home the second they're in a room with someone like that—or even just a bully without a formal diagnosis. Now imagine having to eat lunch with them and stay all afternoon in that chaos. Terrible. What a "wonderful" way to enrich their education.

Exactly. The American Psychological Association recently raised the question of what to do with students who don't feel safe at school. We talk about peer bullying constantly, too. For example, toward the end of the last school year, you hear stories about a student being extorted by a classmate for months, stealing money from his own parents just to hand it over. You wouldn't have even known if the parents hadn't bypassed the school and gone straight to the local police department. Kids like that are going to have a real great time spending their whole day stuck next to bullies.

Honestly, the easiest way to prevent kids from being bullied would just be to pull them out of school entirely—it’s certainly simpler than actually doing the hard work of preventing violence in the first place.
I mean, regarding that little kid this person wasn't even extorting—and let's assume he wasn't lending him money at some predatory interest rate, but rather using blackmail instead—why didn't anyone come forward? Maybe he didn't know who to turn to, maybe home doesn't feel like a safe haven, or maybe he just held onto hope that the bullying would magically stop on its own... perhaps none of this would be happening if we actually focused on real prevention. Even now, certain behaviors are still brushed off as "just kids being kids" rather than being identified as actual bullying. And who is actually conducting these school violence surveys among the students? Is anyone? What do we really know about how often this happens or what the different forms of violence look like? All we know is that physical abuse is down compared to before, and that’s about it.
None of this has anything to do with the daily curriculum. I'm not talking specifically about Fuchs's CN, just speaking generally.
Fuchs is running an experiment right now, and I suspect we'll see some changes depending on how things progress.

@Carl Bishop2, if we've already realized that schools aren't doing enough to prevent violence, wouldn't it make more sense to actually focus on those prevention programs first before trying to push an experimental full-day school model on everyone?
In places where violence is happening under the radar, it’s still going to happen whether kids are in class for four hours or eight.

Carl Bishop2 said:Honestly, the easiest way to prevent kids from being bullied would just be to pull them out of school entirely—it’s certainly simpler than actually doing the hard work of preventing violence in the first place.
I mean, regarding that little kid this person wasn't even extorting—and let's assume he wasn't lending him money at some predatory interest rate, but rather using blackmail instead—why didn't anyone come forward? Maybe he didn't know who to turn to, maybe home doesn't feel like a safe haven, or maybe he just held onto hope that the bullying would magically stop on its own... perhaps none of this would be happening if we actually focused on real prevention. Even now, certain behaviors are still brushed off as "just kids being kids" rather than being identified as actual bullying. And who is actually conducting these school violence surveys among the students? Is anyone? What do we really know about how often this happens or what the different forms of violence look like? All we know is that physical abuse is down compared to before, and that’s about it.
None of this has anything to do with the daily curriculum. I'm not talking specifically about Fuchs's CN, just speaking generally.
Fuchs is running an experiment right now, and I suspect we'll see some changes depending on how things progress.

But what does "the right way" actually look like? Go ahead, walk us through it.

I mean, if you can clearly see exactly where we’re missing the mark and how the current approach is failing, then surely you must have a vision for how it should be done.

Now, regarding kids with special needs.
Even right now, being in school for any length of time is already way too much for them, and that's before you factor in their after-school therapy sessions.

Take a kid with speech and language challenges, for example. Based on the Fuchs plan, they’re supposed to spend eight hours at school, balancing two different tracks. Then, on top of those school hours, they have to see speech therapists or educational specialists... when exactly is that supposed to happen? 7:00 or 9:00 PM at night?

I know one kid—a true ADHDovac with an actual diagnosis—who is currently struggling just to sit still through what they're required to do. Anyone with a choice would steer clear of this whole situation.
There are some really sensible parents out there who, for instance, won't enroll their child in religious education classes. Because that child presents certain challenges, the teacher actually manages to schedule that class for either the first or last period of the day. Under the Fuchs proposal, however, that student would be forced to take "World and Me"—some sort of bureaucratic mess where nobody knows who is teaching or what the curriculum even is—just so non-religious kids can be supervised while religious kids practice their faith within the school walls. On top of all that, the kid is expected to sit there and finish all their homework at school, even though they learn much better by staying active or talking things out loud—something a parent can easily organize at home. But no, let's just ruin things for the few reasonable parents left, so we end up with more and more kids acting out in classrooms and hallways, which ultimately hurts the average students and the kids themselves.

Carl Bishop2 said:Honestly, the easiest way to prevent kids from being bullied would just be to pull them out of school entirely—it’s certainly simpler than actually doing the hard work of preventing violence in the first place.
I mean, regarding that little kid this person wasn't even extorting—and let's assume he wasn't lending him money at some predatory interest rate, but rather using blackmail instead—why didn't anyone come forward? Maybe he didn't know who to turn to, maybe home doesn't feel like a safe haven, or maybe he just held onto hope that the bullying would magically stop on its own... perhaps none of this would be happening if we actually focused on real prevention. Even now, certain behaviors are still brushed off as "just kids being kids" rather than being identified as actual bullying. And who is actually conducting these school violence surveys among the students? Is anyone? What do we really know about how often this happens or what the different forms of violence look like? All we know is that physical abuse is down compared to before, and that’s about it.
None of this has anything to do with the daily curriculum. I'm not talking specifically about Fuchs's CN, just speaking generally.
Fuchs is running an experiment right now, and I suspect we'll see some changes depending on how things progress.

Violence prevention is happening constantly, but what people wearing rose-colored glasses fail to grasp—perhaps because they don't work with children in an American society quite like ours—is that some behaviors are unfixable, at least within the scope of what a school can provide. Quite a shock, isn't it? As a homeroom teacher, I spend roughly 70% of my advisory hours working on some form of violence prevention, whether it's physical, emotional, or that incredibly pervasive cyberbullying (which is nearly impossible to prevent unless a parent is 100% involved and knows exactly what their child is typing and sending in group chats). There are endless discussions, workshops, role-playing exercises, educational content, and films, yet it doesn't matter—some kids will always be bullies, and some will unfortunately remain victims. And I am "just" an English teacher; my job isn't solely the rehabilitation of lost causes, you know? Nor is it limited to that one specific class where I also serve as the advisor. If we had actual, fully equipped professional teams in our schools, if we had social services that actually took action, if we had synergy between institutions, and if we had draconian pedagogical measures (which I strongly advocate for, given my years of experience), then we might actually have something to talk about.
What kind of surveys or theories are you talking about? I'm telling you how it works on the ground, among the kids. Why didn't he speak up? Good grief. What if the other kid threatened him with something we can't even imagine? Or do you honestly think kids aren't capable of being that malicious? Do you really think two workshops at school on the topic of bullying would make a bully suddenly see the light and repent? Not a chance.

And what about the kids who aren't actually bullies, but they have ADHD, mental health struggles, or issues stemming from a rough home life? They end up disrupting the whole class—kids who are probably just counting down the minutes until they can finally go home. In some perfect utopia, they’d be working with school psychologists or specialists, but let’s face it, our schools are woefully understaffed in that department. On top of that, you've got students with IEPs who struggle to stay focused for even half the day; forcing them to sit in a classroom until 3:30 PM is just unrealistic. There needs to be an option for CN. If some kids want to stay, fine. But everyone else? They should be able to study after a break—walking around, reciting things out loud, or even just lounging on the couch in the evening. We can't just lump every single student into one giant, messy category.
@Bryan Wells11, I'm with you 100%. And honestly, what about the parents who see victimization in every little thing? The ones who take every joke personally—which basically teaches their kids to be just as sensitive—or the ones messaging classmates online pretending to be kids themselves? We can work on prevention at the school level and talk sense into the students until we're blue in the face, but there's nothing we can do about raising the parents.

Anthony Harris2 said:And what about the kids who aren't actually bullies, but they have ADHD, mental health struggles, or issues stemming from a rough home life? They end up disrupting the whole class—kids who are probably just counting down the minutes until they can finally go home. In some perfect utopia, they’d be working with school psychologists or specialists, but let’s face it, our schools are woefully understaffed in that department. On top of that, you've got students with IEPs who struggle to stay focused for even half the day; forcing them to sit in a classroom until 3:30 PM is just unrealistic. There needs to be an option for CN. If some kids want to stay, fine. But everyone else? They should be able to study after a break—walking around, reciting things out loud, or even just lounging on the couch in the evening. We can't just lump every single student into one giant, messy category.
@Bryan Wells11, I'm with you 100%. And honestly, what about the parents who see victimization in every little thing? The ones who take every joke personally—which basically teaches their kids to be just as sensitive—or the ones messaging classmates online pretending to be kids themselves? We can work on prevention at the school level and talk sense into the students until we're blue in the face, but there's nothing we can do about raising the parents.

Exactly. But anyone working outside the system doesn't realize the sheer number of combinations we deal with here. We have to navigate bizarre situations and incredibly nonsensical behavior. There are endless life stories and circumstances that leave our hands tied, forcing us to operate within extremely narrow margins just to manage everything. Honestly, I get overwhelmed by how problematic this gets. I constantly wonder why I, as an English teacher, am expected to play psychologist, social worker, priest, and whatnot. Why isn't this being handled by the people actually trained for it?

Carl Bishop2 said:Honestly, the easiest way to prevent kids from being bullied would just be to pull them out of school entirely—it’s certainly simpler than actually doing the hard work of preventing violence in the first place.
I mean, regarding that little kid this person wasn't even extorting—and let's assume he wasn't lending him money at some predatory interest rate, but rather using blackmail instead—why didn't anyone come forward? Maybe he didn't know who to turn to, maybe home doesn't feel like a safe haven, or maybe he just held onto hope that the bullying would magically stop on its own... perhaps none of this would be happening if we actually focused on real prevention. Even now, certain behaviors are still brushed off as "just kids being kids" rather than being identified as actual bullying. And who is actually conducting these school violence surveys among the students? Is anyone? What do we really know about how often this happens or what the different forms of violence look like? All we know is that physical abuse is down compared to before, and that’s about it.
None of this has anything to do with the daily curriculum. I'm not talking specifically about Fuchs's CN, just speaking generally.
Fuchs is running an experiment right now, and I suspect we'll see some changes depending on how things progress.

Maybe it's this, maybe it's that. You have no idea how many cases like this exist; I'd bet there are plenty. How exactly are you going to prevent violence? If you teach math or physics, tell me: how does that help stop these things from happening?

We once found out by pure chance that two classes had planned a fight after school. One kid even brought a slingshot and hid it in the schoolyard. That’s how I specifically found out—because some kids actually trust me. Our principal was absolutely floored; you know how badly that could have ended. But how are we supposed to prevent a fight if we don't even know it's being planned? Or how to stop the agreement from happening in the first place?

Bryan Wells11 said:Violence prevention is happening constantly, but what people wearing rose-colored glasses fail to grasp—perhaps because they don't work with children in an American society quite like ours—is that some behaviors are unfixable, at least within the scope of what a school can provide. Quite a shock, isn't it? As a homeroom teacher, I spend roughly 70% of my advisory hours working on some form of violence prevention, whether it's physical, emotional, or that incredibly pervasive cyberbullying (which is nearly impossible to prevent unless a parent is 100% involved and knows exactly what their child is typing and sending in group chats). There are endless discussions, workshops, role-playing exercises, educational content, and films, yet it doesn't matter—some kids will always be bullies, and some will unfortunately remain victims. And I am "just" an English teacher; my job isn't solely the rehabilitation of lost causes, you know? Nor is it limited to that one specific class where I also serve as the advisor. If we had actual, fully equipped professional teams in our schools, if we had social services that actually took action, if we had synergy between institutions, and if we had draconian pedagogical measures (which I strongly advocate for, given my years of experience), then we might actually have something to talk about.
What kind of surveys or theories are you talking about? I'm telling you how it works on the ground, among the kids. Why didn't he speak up? Good grief. What if the other kid threatened him with something we can't even imagine? Or do you honestly think kids aren't capable of being that malicious? Do you really think two workshops at school on the topic of bullying would make a bully suddenly see the light and repent? Not a chance.

We just need actual punishments for bullies, plain and simple.

Why didn't the kid being extorted speak up?
It's not like he was blind or stupid. He's likely wondering what would actually happen if he did. Would some CIA agent pull him aside and say, "Oh, now, that wasn't very nice! You should apologize!"? We all know how that goes.