Mum attacks school over bullying (From Bridgwater Mercury)

Mum attacks school over bullying

3:47pm Tuesday 19th June 2007

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THE mother of a Bridgwater schoolgirl, harassed by pupils in a two-year-long bullying campaign, has heavily criticised the treatment of her daughter - by the school.

Janet Trent, 52, of Windham Road, has hit out against East Bridgwater Community School, alleging a member of staff called her daughter Sadie, 14, a liar, when approached to discuss her torment last April.

The allegation was made in light of the fact Sadie had been repeatedly victimised, suffering verbal and physical bullying by other girls on several occasions.

In October 2005, the Mercury's Beat the Bullies Campaign revealed how Sadie was bullied "every day for a year" when she started at the school.

In January, female pupils took photos of Sadie without permission and uploaded them to the internet with offensive and ridiculing comments, while last month, Sadie's problems flared up again after being subjected to verbal abuse.

On May 25 Mrs Trent sent a letter to the member of staff who allegedly branded her daughter "a liar", but was shocked at the response.

"The deputy head rang me after sending the letter to say that he was not happy with the way we wrote to his member of staff, but we would not have needed to write if the person in question had tried to stop the bullying," Janet told the Mercury.

A spokesman for Somerset County Council, the Local Education Authority, said: "Staff and management at East Bridgwater Community School take the issue of bullying extremely seriously.

"Any allegations are treated sensitively and thoroughly investigated, with outside bodies such as the police involved if necessary.

"If cases of bullying are substantiated they will not be tolerated and the appropriate action will be taken."

Mrs Trent continued: "The school's anti-bullying policy is not working and we are not the only ones who think this."

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