Man, 200+ posts coming up in 3...2...1...

Wow this is really disgusting. I wonder if these girls have a history of violence/aggession, or was this a one-off situation?

Can we please talk about the parents of these girls being all "Well, they just wanted to make a popular video to put up on the YouTube!" SERIOUSLY. WHY CAN JUST ANYONE HAVE CHILDREN?

How pertinent.

The mom on the Today show was a disaster.

I'm just really glad that kids are SO FUCKING STUPID these days that they feel the need to record every STUPID THING they do and post it ONLINE.

Smart cookies, these kids today.

This sickens me.

Every day, I get a little more completely freaked out by modern kids.

That is so tragic, and apparently not uncommon. The really sad thing is the juvenile justice system probably can't do anything significant to the girls who did this. They will walk away with their "respect" and the equivalent of a slap on the wrist.

It's when I hear stories like these that I'm grateful I went to an arts school, with not a single fight in its history. This just makes me so sad. What is going to happen when these girls grow up? I don't want to know.

This is heartbreaking. They are only children and already sociopaths. Who can do backflips. I see the future women of "Kill Bill" will come from Florida.

i would say that their joking and laughing AT THE POLICE STATION demonstrates their lack of respect for authority, as well.

I don't understand, why provide evidence against yourself?

Wow, I hope those bitches go to jail. I just can't deal with the lack of remorse, of not realizing that what you're doing is wrong. I mean, not that I would condone it if they knew what they were doing was fucked up, but expecting to go to cheerleading practice afterward?! Lock them up!

I wonder if they'll still be enjoying this when they're 35 years old and working as a checkout girl at the supermarket.

I am never going to say another word about cheerleaders ever. Mama didn't raise no fool and I learned my lesson the last go-round.

Jesus Fucking what the hell. What is the matter with this world. Parents are so clued out on their kids. If "clued out" means anything.

I grew up going to schools where people were genuinely kind and cared for each other. The most devestating thing that ever happened was someone not liking your shoes. I can't imagine dealing with real emotional and physical violence. Being a girl, let alone a teenage girl, is hard enough.

This almost seems like the beginning of a horror movie...also, incredibly gross and disheartening.

The mom of one of the bullies was pretty enlightening as to how her daughter could be so callous and vicious. She pretty much said that this is just what happens when you run your mouth; that you get what you deserve and this was what the victim deserved. So gross.

"New research?" Anyone who went to middle school can tell you that popular girls are nasty, and nasty girls are popular. I was a nice kid and basically the most unpopular girl in middle school. My "friends" used to punch me in the stomach, no joke. I can remember it pretty clearly; it was only six or seven years ago. Middle school is messed up.

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In any case, this doesn't really surprise me at all. I'm disgusted, but not shocked.

I'm sure many many people here will have similar stories to tell about their middle school/high school experiences.

Seriously, what is up with kids today? With this and all the Septa platform beatdowns here in Philly, I'm beginning to wonder if they have any regard for human life at all.

This shit starts EARLY. I am lunch mom (yes, bitches, I am) on Mondays, and I loathe 3 little girls in my son's second grade class. They won't talk to anyone else, they throw people's food on the ground, and they're constantly telling me they're all sick and need to go see the nurse.

They are also the prettiest little girls in the class. It takes me back to Woodland Elementary, circa 1980.

@badmutha: Florida: Where common sense goes to die.

Those girls are scary as shit, do you want to be on their bad side? The bully always seems to have a lot of friends, it is more these kids don't want to get pegged as prey.

I just don't get the part where they're stupid enough to film themselves putting the beatdown on a lesser girl. Where is that particular disconnect?

Wow, that is some "research". They made a whole friggin' Hollywood movie about it.

This is news? Usually, the meanest girls in high school are the popular, "pretty" ones who get all the guys and wear the expensive clothes and drive BMW's.
Usually, the nicest ones are the shy, quiet ones who no one really notices, or who people call nerds.
Derrrr.

I was only elected Prom Queen after I'd put three girls in the hospital. The court that year was super competitive.

@SarahMC: But how great was Matt Lauer? When the mom tried to make it seem like none of it was her daughter's fault, he jumps in with "And at what point did your daughter call the police? Oh, she didn't? She just held the camera? Oh, ok. Shithead."

@lucyjae: on the El? that sounds crazy! I'm so afraid of getting fucked up in the street by little kids man, that would be the worse.

I wish I were more surprised by this.

Fucking savages.

This reminds me of one particularly unsavoury episode during middle school when suddenly my "friends" decided to turn on me.

As for this research rating young girls' popularity and its correlation with nastiness, I could have told you this back in the laste 80s! Teenagers and high schools encourage a "biggest bully is best" mentality. One teacher at my school justified it as "keeping the other kids in line."

@ineffable.me: but they just want to be faaaaaaaaamous! Because THAT'S what's important, no matter how you go about it.

You want a popular YouTube video, kids? Make a video of your cat doing something cute. Hell, I'll watch those for hours.

I am curious about what "school in Lakeland" this was. Having spent time in a nearby Florida high school, I can attest that those bitches are nasty. I was never so scared of being assaulted as I was in that high school. And I lived in NOLA for a few years.

Dude, teenage girls are scurrry. Just this morning, on the bus on the way to work, I was waiting to get off because the driver was helping a little old lady off and a teenage girl literally pushed me trying to get past me and off the bus and then stood literally on top of me when she saw I couldn't go anywhere. I was like "Excuse me. You're pushing me why?" as I kid of elbowed her off me, and she's all "I didn't push you BITCH! You best not push me in the stomach BITCH! I'll sue you BITCH!!!" I was def half expecting her to knife me right there on the bus but I held my ground and told her that she "better watch [her]self, young lady." I can't believe I said "young lady."
I mean, I was def kind of a bully when I was a teenage girl as far as with my peers, but I totally would never have started a fight with an adult woman on the bus.
Kids these days...

When I was in high school( which was fairly recently) the most popular girls just gave a lot of head and talked about you behind you back. Thats it. The fuck ever happened to being nasty IN PRIVATE?

WHO is parenting these people? I had a lot of freedom growing up, and nearly all the house rules were negotiable under certain circumstances, but "Don't hit people" stood firm.

Bullies make the world go around, apparently. But my mom and dad always told me to be nice to "nerds" (which I actually was/is sorta) because someday they would be my boss. They couldn't have been more right. And the bullies? In jail, already had five kids they didn't plan for, or still working at the grocery store. Karma's a bitch.

I don't know why it takes repeated "scientific studies" to bring to light shit that everyone who went to junior high knows from common fucking sense.

Also, *SO* glad I went through the public school system before the advent of MySpace, YouTube, blogs, etc. Though I did not get my ass kicked as a teenager, with access to a blog I probably would have provoked someone into slapping me down.

@howdybeep (rear wheel drive): everyone needs their 15 minutes of fame. even if its for something that'll get them punished later.

SERIOUSLY, CLEANSING RAIN WHEN ARE YOU COMING?

@Sassette: I don't think it's just modern kids. I was picked on by girls in gym class - one of the girls constantly harassed me, and it came to a head when playing floor hockey. She was constantly hitting me with her stick, then flashing an innocent smile to the teacher. I left class one day with a gash next to my eye from when she high sticked me, and I didn't respond in time to block her stick. I still have a little scar from it at the corner of my eye. She never got in trouble because, you know, it was an "accident." She always had lots of friends, but dropped out when she was 16 and pregnant.

@ineffable.me: Or is burned out of you by the sun.

@Jamie Sommers: relieving their glory years.

Also. I saw the video on Today this morning, and it was really violent, and I have to believe that those girls learned that kind of violence somewhere. I was a violent teenager, and I learned at home that violence was an acceptable reaction. And, judging by the mom on tv this morning, I wouldn't be surpised if that is the case here.

I have to agree with JessicaLovejoy up above. Where are the parents of these monstrous little fucks? This is precisely why stopped going to school at 13. The popular girls at my public school were certifiable sociopaths indulged and encouraged by their wackjob parents.

@howdybeep (rear wheel drive): Right? If only all criminals were so dumb. "I'm gonna rob a bank...and then put it on YouTube!"

I work as a nanny, and though that has pretty much scared me off of ever having kids, I do sometimes wonder... how do you make sure your own child won't do this, or join a gang that does this?

Make sure she's ugly? Make sure she's unfashionable? The innate morality meters of 4 to 15 year olds is something I don't trust, and this "pack mentality" is a perfect example.

"He also noted that girls as young as nine learn that being nasty can boost their "social visibility" and that girls are more likely to use aggressive behavior than boys."

I was the quiet girl being bullied in kindergarten, and that was only because I didn't go to pre-k. But, I have to say it was both the girls and the boys giving me lots of shit.

I despise these "researchers" who "discover" these facts. Do they not have memories??

And, why would anyone expect these girls to be repentant? They've most likely gotten away with a lot all their lives. Nothing comes from nothing.

@beastybeatsy: Because you know you're under 18 and it probably won't matter in the long run?

It's always a "former friend" that kids kick the living shit out of. Aggression, real agression, is never punished in schools. It always comes down to a Columbine type situation that administrators pretend to horrified at the problem of bullying.

And nothing ever gets done about it.

They should lock this little bitches away with some real hard asses for a very long time.

I was attacked by a group of kids who laughed it up even in the police station, but when they realized that I was pressing charges and went after them and their parents and sued for damages/lost property, they shut up real fast. They were also repeat offenders, as is often the case for violent teenagers. I hope the parents of this girl put them through the legal ringer--and while this may not affect them immediately, being convicted of a crime can prevent future employment, can be the grounds for denying student loans, and can really mess up your life. There are repercussions for everything, they're just not always immediate.

@dancingteacups: They'll be on the eighth season of The Bad Girl's Club?

High school is vicious....But I have to say that I got the worst shit in middle school.

@Sassette: the technology might be different, but not much else has changed in the schoolyard.

I am not suprised. This was Polk County afterall, where high schools list "Jerry Springer guest" as a career option. That's the rumor at least........

@bluty: Depending on their age the can be charged as adults. The premeditation alone calls for it.

@ineffable.me: Don't ride Septa then...

Youtube has become a curse. Every thinks they deserve to be famous, and you get more fame for the negative thing you do in this society.

Is there no way for making them do "humiliating" public service? You know, picking trash or painting walls, picking up dog ish from the parks... they used to do that in my school- it at least stopped the girls from beating up others.

All this while wearing the bright orange vests. Teenage hell.

I can't wait to see how these girls are charged and treated. It seems that these girls are just dubbed "mean" for beating someone down over something as petty as popularity when the Jena 6 dudes, who were of comparable ages, were thrown in jail and charged with attempted murder.

I'm convinced our society has raised a generation of exhibitionists. It's like they don't think anything's real until they see it online. Disturbing.