This School Didn’t Need a Hero

Briar MacLean, 13, of Calgary, Alberta, was reprimanded by school officials in May (and then also lost an appeal) after he stepped between two students because one, holding a knife, was bullying the other. The vice principal appeared to regard Briar’s action as equal to that of the bully, telling Briar’s mother later that the school does not “condone heroics” and that it was “beside the point” that Briar might well have prevented a slashing (which could have occurred if he had left the boys behind to go find a teacher).