Marr mum’s bullying frustration

Feb 11 2011 by Lisa Boyle, Ayrshire Post (main ed)

A MUM was forced to listen to her daughter’s screams of terror over the phone as she was attacked by classmates.

The brutal assault was the climax of an ongoing bullying campaign against the 12-year-old Marr college pupil.

But remarkably, the girl’s attackers have not been charged or suspended from the Troon school.

The girl’s mum said: “Hearing your child screaming while she is being struck on the head, pulled to the ground and kicked in the stomach and head is something I’d like to forget, but it is a distressing memory.”

The girl, who cannot be named, phoned her mum while she was walking home from school because she sensed something was about to happen.

After the attack, the police and the school were brought in. While the school said they couldn’t interfere with a police matter, the police were unable to take it further because the child witnesses would not give statements.

The angry mum continued: “I asked the parents of these children ‘how would you feel if it was your child?’ Or do we live in such a selfish world where, as long as it’s not our child being assaulted, we keep our blinkers on?”

But that attack in December was far from the end of the matter.

The young girl has continued to be a target for the vicious bully. Her mum explained: “The bully got away with no warning, reprimand or charge from school or police.

“Last week my daughter was threatened by the same girl. At lunchtime a gang, headed by the bully, chased her screaming to my grandmother’s house, and this week she was told she was getting her head kicked in.

“I am at my wits’ end, the school have various solutions for my daughter to remain safe, but they all involve disruption to only her life and it seems the bullies get to do what they want.”

But she added: “I’m now being told that the bully has been dealt with ‘seriously’ but that the school can’t discuss individual pupils, so I’ve no idea what that means.”

Brian McInroy, South Ayrshire Council’s head of school management, said: “For data protection reasons, we cannot disclose private individual information relating to any of our pupils.

“Bullying is unacceptable and we work closely with pupils, staff and parents to help prevent bullying, ensure they know how to identify it and what action to take if it does happen.

“We have robust procedures in place within the school to allow pupils, staff and parents to report any concerns regarding any alleged bullying – no matter how small an incident it may have been.

“We are fortunate to have committed and dedicated school staff who do a great job to support and work with our pupils and their parents to provide a holistic approach to their well-being, which includes providing any necessary additional support to those involved in any incidents.”