By Gary Cooper

AN ANGUS mother yes-terday revealed her anguish of dealing with a daughter so tormented by school bullies she was driven to contemplate suicide.

The woman, who did not want to be identified in a bid to protect her child, was forced to move her out of the comprehensive system after losing all faith in it.

It meant taking on another job and making other sacrifices to pay for her to attend Dundee High School, but it is a price worth paying, stressed the worried parent.

She spoke out after Dundee’s Sidlaw View Primary School became embroiled in claims of violence and intimidation.

The mother said it was with some hesitancy that she decided to contact The Courier, but summoned up the courage to speak up owing to long-held concerns about school indiscipline and her own situation.

“Although I am not involved with this particular school (Sidlaw View), my children were subjected to the most awful bullying at two Angus schools,” she explained.

“When my youngest daughter started to harm herself and even talked about suicide, I knew I had to take matters into my own hands.”

The parent said her sons managed to get through school despite the years of torture they endured.

“The boys turned their backs on it, but my daughter’s skin wasn’t thick enough,” she said.

The woman said it started at primary school and continued from the minute they stepped into secondary.

What began as name calling got so bad the girl cut her hair and wanted to drop out of school.

It sparked a frustrating bid for action to tackle it— through guidance teacher, head teacher, staff from the education department and school psychologist.

The mother said, “There was a lot of talking and a big pretence that help was being offered but, in practice, nothing was achieved and it was a total waste of

time. I looked at several other schools, but the situation was the same everywhere.

“It was clear that the state was unable to provide my child with a safe educational environment.”

She felt she was faced with the options of private schooling, emigration or educating at home.

“All three were daunting but, by taking on a second job, I found the means for a private school,” the mother continued.

“My daughter has been at the High School of Dundee for two years now and her shattered confidence is gradually being rebuilt.

“So, although I am exhausted, we wear darned clothes and the main meal of the day is often a bowl of cornflakes, it is worth it.”

And she vowed, “A child of mine will never set foot in a Government school again. It is wrong that children cannot be guaranteed safe schooling. It is equally wrong that teachers cannot be guaranteed a safe working environment.”

One of the mother’s jobs brings her into contact with victims of school bullying, but is powerless to help.

“My heart bleeds for them,” she said. “The majority of children want to do well and learn, but are being dragged down by the minority.

“Pupils who don’t want to work shouldn’t be allowed to disrupt classes.

“What kind of a sick society is this where a judicious wallop on a child’s derriere is considered a bigger crime than assault by these very children on teachers, not to mention elderly people out in the community?”

The mother said parents, teachers and children were being failed and added, “Something needs to be done.”

An Angus Council spokeswoman said the authority would not comment on individual cases, but stressed it had a robust policy in place to deal with bullying.

“Any parent with concerns about their child’s progress or welfare in school should approach the head teacher to discuss the matter,” she added.