JERICHO ECHO ARTICLE
November 1998
Bullying can happen to anyone. I took my 5 year-old granddaughter to the swings at St. Barnabas School on August Bank Holiday Monday. There were three boys playing with a basketball. I was so enjoying my time with my granddaughter that when the ball hit me on the back of the head, I was very good-natured and assumed it was an accident. Then it hit me in the back and the chest. When it was thrown in my face, I put my hand up and it cracked my wrist back instead. When they positioned themselves so that my granddaughter was in the line of fire, I put my foot down and confiscated the ball. By this time, it was obvious it was deliberate. The smallest boy, whom I now know to be eleven, then punched the basketball out of my grasp, hitting me in the chest in the process. We left and went to the playing fields but they followed. I told them that bullies were cowards who only picked on people smaller than themselves. They said confidently that they weren’t aiming at my granddaughter they were aiming at me. I thought about the possible comeback if I went to the police, St. Frideswide’s School, or the Council. In fact, I did all of these things and the eldest boy has since threatened me. But if I as an adult can be bullied, how many children must also be on the receiving end? In fact, I discovered that these same children have bullied others at school. If I hold back out of fear, I am still being bullied, and what example does a frightened adult set a bullied child? So I am taking every action I can, as far as I can, no matter what. The buck stops here.Author: Patti Dale, Cranham Terrace