Low bullying rate praised
Roy Beers • Published 27 Nov 2011 09:30
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BARRHEAD and Neilston schools just won't tolerate bullies - and that's official.
The local education authority this week won high praise as Scotland's trailblazer in the battle to stamp out bullying in the classroom and playground - and in cyberspace too.
And it's all thanks to a 19-year-old former East Ren schoolboy who felt so strongly on the issue he tackled the authorities entirely on his own initiative.
Usman Ali suffered bullying at school and was determined to do everything he could to ensure the misery inflicted on him wasn't repeated for others.
He wrote to every council in Scotland urging them to beef up their policies, and was delighted when East Ren - said to have one of the lowest bullying rates in the country - backed him to the hilt.
Now the authority has taken the process a step farther and will this week formalise a still more robust policy which aims to ensure nobody has to endure the indignity and unhappiness which comes with taunts about race, religion, disability, sexuality, or anything else which bullies can use to put them down.
At the education committee meeting last week Councillor Mary Montague spoke feelingly about the bullying she said she had suffered from a cyberspace hate campaign "in faceless attacks from anonymous people who don't have the courage to put their names to their vile comments".
In other parts of the UK some bullying victims have been driven to self-harm and even suicide.
Barrhead councillor Douglas Yates, meanwhile, particularly welcomed the fact that internet-based bullying - including text messages - have been brought into the framework.
The latest move also won praise from East Ren MP Jim Murphy, who told the Barrhead News: "I fully welcome the measures taken by the council to ensure that our anti-bullying policy is the best for the children and families here in Barrhead, and the whole of East Renfrewshire.
"No child should wake up scared of going to school in the morning.
"Bullying is a serious problem that many children have to face but it often goes on unnoticed or without any robust action being taken to tackle it.
"The council's policy will help in identifying this problem and ensure that any child here suffering from bullying will get the help they need."
"Despite the improvements and investment that have made in our schools, bullying consistently remains one of the biggest issues raised by our children and young people.
"Bullying can irreparably scar young lives - damaging confidence and ambition - yet here are some simple but effective steps that can be taken to counter it.
"As a parent I know how much it matters to me that my children are safe and happy when at school.
And Usman Ali (pictured), who has seen all eleven of his anti-bullying recommendations to the council's education department being implemented, said: "I'm very happy to hear that East Renfrewshire Council is taking stronger action to tackle bullying.
"I've campaigned over the last 15 months to see councils across Scotland strengthening their policies to record and report all incidents of bullying and being more open and transparent about the true nature of the problem within their areas."
But he added: "Now I want to see East Ren's example taken up by national government so that everyone in the country has the same protection - the campaign isn't over."
This article appeared in Barrhead News 23 Nov 11
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