Watching high school kids tearing down basketball hoops at an elementary school. What should I do?
By The Horse
@TheHorse (220116)
Walnut Creek, California
March 23, 2019 9:13pm CST
My 10-year-old neighbor friend and I cycled to his former elementary school today to play baseball catch.
While we were playing baseball catch, some high school kids were practicing "dunking" on 8 foot rims on a nearby basketball court.
After awhile they started grabbing the rims, like NBA players do. Finally, they broke one of the rims off of the backboard.
Rather than stopping, they played on another rim and broke it too. They were laughing about it.
Here's the rub: My young friend knows the younger brother of one of the kids who were breaking the rims. The younger kid was mad at his older brother for being a part of the hooliganism. He came over and played Frisbee with us.
My young friend has a strong sense of morality and wants to let his former school know who broke the basketball rims. But would that lead to him being picked on by other kids in the neighborhood?
He said he wanted to go to the school after his school on Monday and tell the Principal. I advised him to discuss it with his mom and maybe call the school on Monday.
What would you do in this situation?
10 people like this
10 responses
@andriaperry (117133)
• Anniston, Alabama
24 Mar 19
Weigh the pros and cons with your neighbor/kid. But, if he wants to do what is right, by all means let him. Honesty is a good trait.
2 people like this
@RasmaSandra (80640)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
24 Mar 19
That is a tough call. Other kids can be unforgiving. I suppose there is no way you could intervene and tell that school principal what you saw and what your young friend told you. Something like that perhaps. I do not think the older kids should be allowed to get away with this but I am also concerned for your young friend if they find out who told.
2 people like this
@crossbones27 (49703)
• Mojave, California
24 Mar 19
All that will happen is double rim and chain nets. Congrats you officially live in the hood. When I played street ball, that is how we said we became good. Anyone who can shoot on double rims and make a lot of their shots will be great in indoor gyms. I always found it amazing how good I could shoot and I could launch them from miles and make them. My problem was when someone could actually play defense. My game went out the window. 
1 person likes this
@crossbones27 (49703)
• Mojave, California
24 Mar 19
@TheHorse Hell yeah not only more iron for the ball, I swear its like a magnet the ball just wants to hit it , but also the clank factor indoor gyms have the soft factor unless they doctor it and most do not want to go that way. More fun just to let the chips fall where they may but like baseball they can tighten the rim or let be more more loose so shots will fall in depending on if you have a great shooting team or a poor shooting team. Either way, may help the home team, but also can help the away team and that is what I like, however they do it, both sides have same opportunity.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (220116)
• Walnut Creek, California
25 Mar 19
@crossbones27 These rims didn't appear to be that strong, but the kids hanging on the rims cause the actual backboards to break.
1 person likes this
@cintol (11261)
• United States
25 Mar 19
I would have taken a pic of them destroying them and maybe walked over and asked if they would like to pay for that damage. Then I would have sent the pic to the police dept with a statement of what they had done. Its good that your little friend wanted to do the right thing, hopefully he will stay that direction in life.
1 person likes this
@Pcaldwell (78)
• Los Angeles, California
28 Mar 19
I'm a teacher who works with teenagers. Realistically, I would have suggested that you went over and talked to the kids about their behavior. Teenagers are constantly testing boundaries, so you have to sometimes set them up for them. Even though it's awkward, you probably should have said something and then asked for their names and where they lived so you could provide that information to the principal in the morning.
It is honorable that your friend wanted to say something to the principal on Monday, but the principal will most likely have a million other things to worry about then tracking down these hooligans. If he were to be provided with names and living locales, it would help the principal talk to the teens parents without involving your friend. To prevent bullying, while also teaching proper behavior, adults have to model the behavior so kids know that they can rely on adults to be upholders of social justice and that they can turn to us guidance without reprimands.
1 person likes this
@LovingMyBabies (85288)
• Valdosta, Georgia
26 Mar 19
It sounds like you have a great little buddy who wants to do the right thing, such a good kid. =)
Hopefully all worked out well if his mother did call the school.
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (107900)
• Marion, Ohio
24 Mar 19
I agree talking to his mom first. But very glad that he wants to tell his side. You might be able to report to the police too and keep him out of. It is vandalism.
1 person likes this
