Caught Bullying, Ohio Dad Makes Daughter Walk To School In Cold

SWANTON, OH — An Ohio father is defending his decision to make his daughter walk to school in the cold after she was reprimanded for bullying.

Matt Cox found out his daughter, 10-year-old Kirsten, had been suspended from the school bus for harassing another student. He said it was her second time being punished for bullying, and he needed to make sure it didn't happen again.

As a result of her suspension, Kirsten was barred from using the school bus, Newsweek reported. So Cox made his daughter walk to school in what he said was 36-degree weather. He trailed behind her in a car, filming the trek.

Kirsten's five-mile walk to school was broken into three days. She walked the final two miles on Wednesday.

When Cox recorded the unique punishment and shared it on Facebook, he couldn't have known it would stir massive controversy on social media. Since it was published, Cox's video has garnered 65,000 comments, 162,000 thousand reactions, and 341,000 shares.

Cox even updated his video to note his daughter was fine. "Still has all her extremities intact is happy and healthy and seems to have a new outlook on bullying as well as a new appreciation for some of the simple things in life she used to take for granted," he wrote on Facebook.

Social media users won't be so easily assuaged, though. "The punishment and parenting...Spot on. The posting it so it can hang over her for ever? Not so much. Other kids may use this in future against her," wrote Peter Buchanan.

Many of the reactions to Kirsten's walk-of-shame were positive, with several saying this was an acceptable punishment and deterrent for further bullying. Several parents applauded Cox for following along, to ensure Kirsten's safety, but also for teaching her responsibility.

"We need more parents like this. Great job dad for doing the right thing for teaching your daughter to do the right thing," said Patty Schlotman in a comment on Cox's video.

But some thought Cox went too far — even likening him to a bully (or more accurately, a cyberbully) for shaming his daughter over the internet.

"All you're doing is bullying your daughter. This is idiotic parenting," wrote Coley Cole on Facebook.

What do you think? Did Cox get it right or did he take it too far?

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Photo from Renee Schiavone, Patch