Teaching kids empathy is one of the most important parts of parenting.

Would you be upset if your child was being punished by the school for laughing at a school bully’s actions? Or would you agree what he needs to learn that what he did was wrong?

This woman found out that her son laughed while a female classmate was being bullied in a group chat.

She supported the school’s decision to discipline him, but her son’s father disagreed, claiming he shouldn’t be punished for “just laughing” at the joke.

Check out the full story below and share your thoughts.

AITA for not defending my son when I feel like he was in the wrong

3 days ago, my son was in a group chat with multiple children from his school.

One of his male friends set upon a female child.

The male child called her fat.

He also said she was the “elephant in the room,” and told her that no one liked her.

This woman agreed that everyone involved should be punished.

My son laughed at what his friend said to the girl.

While I can only imagine what she was feeling in that moment, my son’s school became aware of what had happened.

They punished all involved with 2 days of isolation, which I agree was the correct thing to do.

But her son’s father thinks his son shouldn’t be part of it.

My son’s father says that my son should not have been punished because he only laughed.

Is he right? AITA?

Laughing at the situation makes him a bully too. It wasn’t funny. It was cruel.

Let’s see how others on Reddit reacted to this story.

This person makes a valid point.

Good on you for sticking to it, says this person.

People are siding with her and calling out the father.

This user agrees that her son was complicit.

Finally, short but meaningful.

Laughing at the joke is just as bad as making it.

If you liked this post, you might want to read this story about a teacher who taught the school’s administration a lesson after they made a sick kid take a final exam.