- Bus monitor Karen Klein wants the juveniles who bullied her to be punished by not being able to play sports, and do community service
- Received apology from two of the boys and one of their father's
- Thousands of people have raised $440,000 for widow to take dream vacation
- Airline also paying for trip to Disney World
By Beth Stebner and Lydia Warren
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An elderly bus monitor who was belittled, picked on and threatened by a group of merciless middle school students does not want to press charges against the boys - two of whom have offered apologies to her.
Karen Huff Klein, 68, tried to ignore the boys calling her fat, ugly and poor throughout the 10-minute video, which has been viewed more than three million times, but is seen wiping away her tears.
Police in Greece, New York said Klein is happy with the community's outraged response to the horrific abuse and does not want the seventh-grade boys to be charged as criminals.
She added that she is 'amazed' that a fund set up by well-wishers for her to spend on a dream holiday has reached more than $440,000.
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Forgiving: Karen Klein sais she does not want the four boys who bullied her on a school bus to face criminal charges. Their vile remarks were caught on video and have outraged the nation
The sickening story of how the elderly bus monitor was tormented by middle school students has spread like wildfire across the internet, with the stream of more than $435,000 in donations making Karen Klein the woman of the hour.
Mrs Klein has already made the rounds on the Today show, Good Morning America, Fox Friends, and Anderson Cooper 360, telling all of them that she doesn't begrudge the students who mercilessly taunted her on a bus ride home in Greece, New York.
Now, the students responsible have offered apologies to Mrs Klein, days after their insensitive comments.Â
One student, Josh, wrote in a statement: ‘I’ am so sorry for the way I treated you. When I saw the video, I was disgusted and could not believe I did that.’
But Mrs Klein wasn’t buying all of it. ‘I just don’t think I would believe Josh had to say,’ she said after Cooper read the statement to her, citing Josh’s smirks at her during the ill-fated bus ride.
Another student, Wesley, wrote: ‘I feel really bad about what I did. I wish I had never done those things. If that had happened to someone in my family like my mother or grandmother, I would be really mad at the people who did that to them.’
Tormented: Klein, 68, was taunted and tormented by the middle school students in Greece, New York in a difficult-to-watch 10-minute video. She can be seen wiping away her tears in the footage
Unacceptable: At one point, a student says: 'If I stabbed you in the stomach, my knife would f***** go through like butter, because it’s all f***** lard'
‘I want (the kids) to make sure they never do this again to anybody. I would like them to be kept off the bus for a year, and be forbidden to play any sports, at least for a year.’ She also said community service could be a good idea.
She said she was touched by the unexpected outpouring of sympathy from strangers. ‘I want to thank everybody for so much kindness,’ she said Thursday.
She said she had no idea what brought on the outburst. ‘Trying to impress each other â€" they each try outdo the other. I don’t think they ever picked on the other kids…just me,’ she told the CNN host.
Despite all the pupils put her through, Mrs Klein believes they are individually good. When Cooper asked her if she believed they were bad, she responded that she thought they are good ‘deep down.’
‘Things happen. Sometimes worse than other times.’
Also on Anderson Cooper360, the host revealed that Southwest Airlines was offering to fly her and nine friends to Disneyland. Mrs Klein was visibly touched. 
Consequences: Speaking to Anderson Cooper, she said that she'd like the children to be punished, but doesn't want to press charges
Doubt: She also said she didn't believe that the boys' apologies were sincere
Father figure: The father of one of the students came over to apologise to Mrs Klein, giving her a hug and saying how sorry he was
One of the fathers of the boys who taunted her came to speak with the grandmother, offering her a hug and heartfelt apologies, saying he had no idea how his son could act in such a despicable way.
The juveniles have yet to be charged with any crime, but in a dark turn to the story, their parents are dealing with mountains of hate mail, angry phone calls, and even death threats.
Greece police Capt. Steve Chatterton told the Democrat Chronicle that officers are patrolling the streets to prevent any violence.Â
Greece police Capt. Steve Chatterton said criminally charging the boys would require their actions to rise to the level of a crime, but the conduct has not been found to reach that level.
Instead, Klein said she hopes the boys' parents will see the video of the attack and talk to their children about being 'a little more respectful'.
She added that although she appreciates the generosity of strangers, there is one thing that would really make her happy â€" an apology from the four students.Â
Greece Central School District officials in upstate New York phoned police on Wednesday after viewing the video and the students thought to have been involved were questioned at the school.
Mrs Klein, a widow of 17 years, worked as a bus driver in Greece, New York for 20 years, and has been a bus monitor for the last three years.
Her duty is to ride in the bus with students, making sure that they behave themselves on the route to and from school. For that, she gets paid around $15,500 annually.
She recounted the horrific attack on an appearance on the TODAY show. But she said vehemently: 'It made me feel really terrible, but I will get over it. I've gotten over everything else.'
She told the show that it took great strength to bite her tongue during the abuse. 'It took a lot of willpower because I'm not usually that calm - just ask my kids,’ she told host Matt Lauer.
Painful memories: Speaking from her home, Klein said how hurt she was by the boys' vile words
Giving support: As of early Friday morning, the fundraising website indiegogo.com has collected more than $435,000 for the bullied bus monitor
xpressing his thoughts on the matter, Lauer said: 'As a parent, let me apologize for those children because what they did was despicable.'
The veteran bus driver had strong words for the parents of the children who bullied her.
'I'm sorry that your sons acted the way they did,' Mrs Klein said. 'I'm sure they don't act that way at home, but you never know what they're going to do when they're out of the house. They should've been taught to respect their elders no matter who it is.'
She said that the four students who relentlessly heckled her were often full of mischief, but things quickly spiralled out of control on this particular day.
The video, which was uploaded to YouTube by a concerned third party, has become a national internet sensation, garnering more than 3million views in days flat.
At one point, Mrs Klein turns to the teens and says with arms folded: ‘Unless you have something nice to say, don’t say anything at all.’
Shocked: Mrs Klein watched the 10-minute video for the first time Wednesday morning at the police station as she agreed to help authorities with the investigation
Thankful: She said she is 'amazed' by the thousands of dollars people have donated to a fund for her
One of the kids responds: ‘Shut the f*** up,’ and then asks why there is water on her face. ‘Are you sweating?’ the student asks.
‘No, I’m crying,’ Mrs Klein says.
The video shows the teenagers getting more and more crude. At one point, a student says: ‘You’re so ugly, your kids should kill themselves.’
One of her sons had committed suicide 10 years ago, msnbc.com reported.
At the six-and-a-half minute mark, a student said: ‘If I stabbed you in the stomach, my knife would f***** go through like butter, because it’s all f***** lard.’
MailOnline is not naming or picturing the students, as they are all minors and the investigation is on-going.
In interviews after the video surfaced, the grandmother of eight explained how she tried not to respond to her tormentors. ‘I was just trying to ignore,’ she told WHEC.com. ‘I’m hoping they would go away, but it doesn’t work.’
Closely monitored: She works as a bus monitor for the Greece School District, which is outside of Rochester; the school district says appropriate punishment will be given to the students involved
On the road: Mrs Klein had been a bus driver for 20 years, and a monitor for three and said never in all that time has she been so upset
Mrs Klein, who is hearing impaired, watched the 10-minute video for the first time Wednesday morning at the police station as she agreed to help police with the investigation.Â
She did not hear all of the horrific things said by the students until she was at the precinct.
Assistant Superintendent Deb Hoeft told the Democrat and Chronicle: ‘All students found to have a role in this incident will face disciplinary action,’ adding that as the current school year has come to a close, the students will face punishment come September.
The school district urged people not to act rashly, saying in a written statement: ‘Although their behaviour was inexcusable, we also have concern for the safety of all involved.
'We urge patience to allow us to investigate and determine the appropriate discipline.’
As of Friday, more than 11,000 have donated more than $440,000 for Mrs Klein’s dream vacation.
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These little pieces of sewer lining are going to become hideous adults. They'll be back...
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Great with that much money she can retire comfortably and never have to work with ungrateful kids again.
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Yeah, I bet the father wants to hug the nice grandmother and beg her for forgiveness - he's afraid he might somehow be held financially or legally responsible for little precious' behavior. He's out there saying he feels his baby has suffered enough and he doesn't feel legal action against diddums would do any good. Meanwhile these kids were so proud of their behavior they were the ones who filmed it and uploaded it to youtube! Press charges against the kids and make this idiot father be the one to take him to court.
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Now that this has gone worldwide, and there is a large amount of money involved, you just know what's going to happen next. Lawyers!Lawyers are going to get involved somehow and it's going to get really ugly(like anything that involves lawyers is anything but ugly).Someone is going to get sued and absorbanent amounts of money is going to get asked for.Always the way.Gloria Allred, who will sue anyone at the drop of a hat, is probably headed this woman's way, stepping over other lawyers, small children, veterans, handicapped people in wheelchairs and anyone else who dares get between her and a settlement, in order to convince this woman that she needs to be properly represented in this time of need.Can't you just see it now.
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This is a Parenting problem, pure and simple and we have a Feral child problem. I cannot imagine me or my three siblings ever doing anything like this. We were taught from the time we could talk to respect adults and old people . I simply caqnnot wrap my mind arpound this behavior. They did need to be harshly punished by the law. They are the way they are probably because sdults have allowed it . I know she means well but she should have insisted that they pay the price for this outrage.
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Put some Veterans on these buses for a few weeks.
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bring back corporal punishment to new york schools and this will end!
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Yesterday I started reading A Clockwork Orange and was horrified by the violence of the young kids in the novel. Then I logged on to my computer this morning and viewed this heartbreaking video. An hour later I caught a clip on the news of a young girl who had been beaten up by another group of heartless thugs at a concert, just for the fun of it. Anthony Burgess's novel of fiction is now real. The world has gone mad, and I am beside myself in terms of the sheer narcissism, greed, cruelty and violence that seems to be growing exponentially with each passing day.
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The original 10 minute long video was one of the most disturbing things I have ever seen. Parents need to be paraded in front of cameras and shamed for the failure of parents that they are.
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I wasn't sure whether to cry or get the next plane out and rip the little runts apart. They should be named and shamed, so hopefully no one will ever employ them. Then they can see how funny it is to be poor.
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