I have been asked by Iris Harrison to tell those who may be interested,
something of the Work that the enquiries secretaries do. I have
been on the telephone helpline for over ten years, so I have a lot
of experience in knowing how it all works and in the valuable work
that all the volunteers do in this particular role. Education Otherwise
is run by volunteer parents and there are so many quietly doing
all kinds of things to help. I am proud to be associated with so
many good people, many of whom I consider my friends and between
us we all share something we believe in.
I and many others on the enquiry line, play an important role in
that we are usually the first port of call for people. We normally
only have contact with people who are not members. Calls are many
and varied and it is normally quiet in holiday time. Once school
returns after holidays the phone can ring almost non stop all day
long. Some people leave it until after 9 am to ring but it is not
unusual to receive calls at 8 am from an anxious mother. Each call
can last an hour or more and I am often still taking or receiving
calls after l0pm at night. Many people who ring have little, if
any idea of the law. Many are desperately worried about their situation.
Some parents have made so many enquiries, made so many phone calls,
all of which have come to nothing. This one call to E.O. is usually
the lifeline they have been longing for. Each call is unique and
each call is very important. Some calls are urgent; sometimes a
call can save the life of a child.
People ring up for all kinds of reasons but by far the biggest reason
for calls and the biggest reason for taking a child out of school
involves bullying. Children are verbally, physically and sexually
abused at school. I have heard all these things so very many times
and many stories that I have heard will live with me for the rest
of my life. Self harming, nightmares, food refusal, bedwetting,
attempted suicides. So many stories I have heard over the years.
The children, whose lives have been so damaged, and their parents,
will often never completely recover. Many children have seen psychologists,
often who try to persuade them that they are some kind of problem
and ought to do the decent thing and return to school! As though
it were their own fault. There is never any acceptable reason for
bullying and changing school does not usually solve anything. Children
are not just hurt by other children but sometimes by teachers or
other adults, who are supposed to be caring for them.
There are thousands of children in school who are happy, who love
school, and none of us who care about children have any quarrels
with that. It is lovely to hear and of course happy children equals
happy mothers. However, there are thousands of children in school
feeling miserable; of course they are learning nothing except how
they are being betrayed by the very people who claim to love them.
At least l6 children die through suicides caused by bullying in
British schools every year and it breaks my heart to hear of their
suffering. Childhood should be the happiest time of our lives, but
for many thousands it is not. Some children choose death instead
of school.
The calls I receive today are similar to the calls I received more
than ten years ago and it is dreadful to think that things do not
seem to have improved at all. To be a child, sometimes a very young
child, and to be held down to be punched, kicked, spat upon and
urinated on. To be stripped of your clothing in the middle of the
playground, to be humiliated, often by teachers. AWFUL, AWFUL, AWFUL.
I have heard of all of these things. It is a national disgrace.
Mary Thompson, Manchester
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