The viral video of a bus monitor being viciously taunted by middle schoolers in New York has prompted supporters to set up a fund which has raised more than $185,000 for the monitor, a grandmother of 8, to treat her to a "vacation of a lifetime."

The 10-minute video shows 68-year-old Karen Klein enduring a verbal onslught of insults and profanity from students at Athena Middle School in Rochester, sometimes wiping away tears. Posted Monday, the video went viral and has more than 1.5 million views.

Klein appeared on the morning talk show circuit Thursday, saying it took "a lot of willpower" not to respond to the taunts. The video has re-ignited the debate on bullying which has become a hot national topic following a spate of high-profile suicides caused by bullying and a White House campaign against the practice. 

Greece School District, where the incident occured, said it does not tolerate bullying and that the incident is under investigation.

Read the story at the Associated Press.

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