Looks like she can retire now! School bus monitor, 68, who was mercilessly bullied by pupils in internet video receives almost $250,000 in donations from well-wishers

Bus monitor Karen Klein taunted and harassed by middle school students



Ten-minute video, which was posted to YouTube, became internet sensation

Investigation launched by the school district that could involve the police

Klein herself wants the children who bullied her to be punished



More than 11,000 people have since raised almost $250,000 for widow to take dream vacation

An investigation has been launched after an elderly bus monitor was belittled, picked on, and threatened by a group of merciless middle school students who called the woman fat, ugly, and poor.

Karen Huff Klein, 68, is seen in the 10-minute video, which has been viewed more than a million times ,trying to ignore the endless taunts and cringe-inducing epithets from the students, and wipes away tears after several particularly scathing comments.

Greece Central School District officials In upstate New York phoned police on Wednesday after viewing the video and students thought to have been involved have been questioned at the school and officials are debating whether to bring any formal charges .

Scroll down for videos (WARNING: DISTURBING CONTENT)



Tormented: Karen Klein, 68, was taunted and tormented by middle school students in Greece, New York in a difficult-to-watch 10-minute video



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

But in a heart-warming turn of events, donors from across the country raised almost $250,000 for Mrs Klein, who has been serving the school district for more than 23 years, in hopes that she can take the vacation she’s always dreamed of.

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.

'I want the boys punished, but I don't know how,’' Klein told Matt Lauer on TODAY on Thursday.



'It made me feel really terrible, but I will get over it. I've gotten over everything else.'

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 $15,000 annually.



She told the Today show host that it took large reserves of willpower not to retaliate.

'It took a lot of willpower because I'm not usually that calm — just ask my kids,’ she told Lauer.

Expressing his thoughts on the matter, Lauer said he was outraged.

'As a parent,' Lauer said, '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,' 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.'

Mrs Klei n told WHEC in Rochester that the ride on Monday started out as any other day. ‘Everything started out as usual,’ she told the station. ‘I don’t know what happened.’

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 1,000,000 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.’

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'



Brighter days: More than 9,000 people have raised almost $200,000 for Mrs Klein in hopes that she can take a dream vacation - or even retire

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 6 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.’

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.

She did not hear all of the horrific things said by the students until she was at the precinct.



Shocked: Mrs Klein watched the 10-minute video for the first time at the police station as she agreed to help authorities with the investigation

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

Greece Central School District had contacted authorities Wednesday morning about the disturbing video.

According to WHEC.com, the students who were involved will be forced to attend a meeting with their parents, lawyers, and the school superintendent.





'It's just plain mean, no one should have to live with that.' -Bullying victim Karen Klein



After the board and superintendent hear their cases, they will decide the appropriate disciplinary measures.

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.’

If criminal charges are filed, the case will likely go to Family Court, the Democrat and Chronicle reported.

As of Thursday, more than 11,000 have donated almost $250,000 for Mrs Klein’s dream vacation .

While the bus monitor is most certainly thankful for the striking generosity of strangers, she told the D&C that there is one thing that would really make her happy – an apology from the four students that turned an ordinary afternoon bus route into a nightmare.





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