Bullying - What would you do?

[Platypus]

A friend of mine phoned me this evening with this disturbing story:

His 16yo daughter came home from school today, very upset, after 3 guys spent an amusing (for them) few minutes slapping her on the back of the head, repeatedly, unprovoked and out of the blue. Apparently she's upset but not physically damaged.

He phoned the school, related the facts and asked for 'strong action' to be taken.

Of course, the school has its own policies and procedures, but he's tempted to get the police involved (the lads are all 17) as it's technically common assault, and was witnessed.

As a minimum he wants the ringleader expelled (it's a posh school 'innit). But he suspects that suspension for a week will be the worst punishment they'll receive if the school is left to deal with it.

Would you let the school deal with it, demand expulsion using the threat of police involvement, or just call the rozzers?

[MaryPoppins]

A friend of mine phoned me this evening with this disturbing story:

His 16yo daughter came home from school today, very upset, after 3 guys spent an amusing (for them) few minutes slapping her on the back of the head, repeatedly, unprovoked and out of the blue. Apparently she's upset but not physically damaged.

He phoned the school, related the facts and asked for 'strong action' to be taken.

Of course, the school has its own policies and procedures, but he's tempted to get the police involved (the lads are all 17) as it's technically common assault, and was witnessed.

As a minimum he wants the ringleader expelled (it's a posh school 'innit). But he suspects that suspension for a week will be the worst punishment they'll receive if the school is left to deal with it.

Would you let the school deal with it, demand expulsion using the threat of police involvement, or just call the rozzers?

I'd see how the school handle it. Sounds like a bunch of lads being idiots, and it may not be repeated. It might not be nice for her if the police are involved though.

I went to a pretty rough school, where expulsion would not be considered for this kind of thing. Not sure they'd be expelled for something like this, even at a posh school.

[MarillionFan]

1. Let the school deal with it
2. If that fails, escalate with the school
3. If that fails, have a word with the kid in strong terms
4. If that fails, have a word with the kids parents in strong terms
5. If that fails, threaten the tulip out of the kid or parents
6. If that fails, take the lad for a long ride with some mates. Dress in black robes, take him to a dark forest and then tell him you're going to teach him a lesson he'll never forget. Slap him around a bit, strip him naked and then drop your trousers. He'll then leg it screaming.
7. If that fails, you will have to kill him, cut the body parts up, kill the parents, burn their house down to hide the evidence, oh and chop the granny up.

Just hope the school deals with it first.

[rsingh]

Do all the usual talk to the school crap. You have to be seen to be following procedure and a fine standing citizen.

Right, that's the airy fairy tulip sorted. Now if these guys are 17, there is a good chance they frequent various pubs and hangouts. Find out which ones. Make sure 'the boys' know the pub and how to identify the little tulipes. Now make sure these guys have the absolute crap scared out of them. Next week, do the same again, and again...

Do not do or say anything to connect to the original incident with your daughter. Keep her out of it - no matter how tempting.

Nothing physical necessarily, use your imagination.

[shaunbhoy]

Arrange for the little fookers to have a nice cuppa with "the lads"!!




That will do for starters.........

[northernladuk]

Not having kids I can't come from the angle of an upset parent but expecting to have them expelled for this is a expecting a little much. Am sure if I had kids I could see where he was coming from but I don't so gotta just look at the facts (which the school will do as well).

I would certainly be all over the school for an answer and evidence of action though just so they don't say 'boys will be boys' and sweep it under the carpet.

I would also go to the police to see what options you have. Again not being a parent I don't think you can go to the police over something like this and expect them to take any action but I would see what options you have to make a note of this. If they do this on a daily basis it could be the tip of the iceberg for something more serious. If the police have no record they get away with it. If the police have a list of 20 minor complaints they can start looking at asbo's or something more serious. I certainly think it is worth making them aware if they can log this without reporting a crime.

[Paddy]

A friend of mine phoned me this evening with this disturbing story:

His 16yo daughter came home from school today, very upset, after 3 guys spent an amusing (for them) few minutes slapping her on the back of the head, repeatedly, unprovoked and out of the blue. Apparently she's upset but not physically damaged.

He phoned the school, related the facts and asked for 'strong action' to be taken.

Of course, the school has its own policies and procedures, but he's tempted to get the police involved (the lads are all 17) as it's technically common assault, and was witnessed.

As a minimum he wants the ringleader expelled (it's a posh school 'innit). But he suspects that suspension for a week will be the worst punishment they'll receive if the school is left to deal with it.

Would you let the school deal with it, demand expulsion using the threat of police involvement, or just call the rozzers?

It’s assault, go straight to the Police. The school will try to whitewash

[d000hg]

Slapping on the head hard, or irritating and more humiliating than painful? Not that it's not still bullying but I can't see anyone getting in trouble for an isolated incident of being an idiot. Even detention seems borderline unless they're known troublemakers.

Of course still report it, but this may be a case of "life's not fair" that happens to most of us in school at some point, and has to be endured. If it's a repeat event or systematic bullying, that's a totally different story. But I thought that kind of thing was part of childhood school life TBH, however tough it can be to go through.

[configman]

A friend of mine phoned me this evening with this disturbing story:

His 16yo daughter came home from school today, very upset, after 3 guys spent an amusing (for them) few minutes slapping her on the back of the head, repeatedly, unprovoked and out of the blue. Apparently she's upset but not physically damaged.

He phoned the school, related the facts and asked for 'strong action' to be taken.

Of course, the school has its own policies and procedures, but he's tempted to get the police involved (the lads are all 17) as it's technically common assault, and was witnessed.

As a minimum he wants the ringleader expelled (it's a posh school 'innit). But he suspects that suspension for a week will be the worst punishment they'll receive if the school is left to deal with it.

Would you let the school deal with it, demand expulsion using the threat of police involvement, or just call the rozzers?

I was bullied at school by several older kids - once only. My dad was a para++ and taught me how to catch each bully on their own when they would be . Did I say I only got bullied once

[shaunbhoy]

but I can't see anyone getting in trouble for an isolated incident of being an idiot

Let's hope not....................for YOUR sake if nobody else's!