I'm a teacher and the parent of two now adult children who were bullied at school.As a parent I tried everything and the schools did their best.I can't fault them for their efforts.
I know this because as a teacher I too did my best BUT I don't have eyes in the back of my head and when a child is on their way to and from school I cannot be with them on that journey.
All I know is that when I was bullied as a child I sorted it out the traditional way.I got so angry,in fact I went berserker and beat the **** out of my tormentor and thereafter I was left alone.It's not the liberal way and it's very much frowned upon but it worked for me.
My son endured much until year 10 when he grew up to be over 6ft in height and got a fair bit of bulk.Then he didn't have to do a thing as he towered over those who had been his tormentors.Thankfully he didn't become a bully as he has a very excellent sense of humour and could more than hold his own verbally.
It's a shame that 12 year old didn't realise that one day everything would even out and that when he went out into the world as an adult he wouldn't have to put up with the crap any more.
I do think that bullies have become much more vicious than in my day when nothing much was done about bullying as it was accepted as just being part of school life.However my teachers did have recourse to the cane and
I suspect that as much as anything kept bullies within certain boundaries.
Staff today have very little in their armoury to deal with bullies.Detention just doesn't work,suspension just doesn't work,expulsion just doesn't work.All they have is to talk to parents(who aren't always as helpful as you would want) and put in place tactics and strategies for individual children.
All this and still find the time to teach up to 5/6 classes a day of 30+ students. Back to the eyes in the back of your head situation.
