New report highlighting bullying of disabled pupils in UK

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It's sad to see yet another report highlighting the extent of bullying of children with disabilities. This is in the UK.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6160548.stm

I wonder what recommendations the commisioner will make to handle bullying in schools. It's clearly not an easy problem to solve. Is it ignorance and fear of difference? Is it peer group pressure? Is it a growing acceptance of violence in society? The one good thing that came out of the UK version of Big Brother this year for me, was the fact that the public were educated about Tourette's Syndrome through getting to know Pete Bennett. If initiatives are taken to reduce ignorance and fear through education and to foster a more inclusive society, then I think one of the reasons for the increase in bullying would go away.

Is the situation the same in other countries?

I think that it's ignorance and fear of differences. Bullies also have this idea in their little minds that people with disabilities don't have feelings. This problem is everywhere. I think it's very clear that the 1960s are dead. The compassion that was around in the late 1960s is now nonexsistant.

Well my son was bullied on a daily basis and he would be in a mess because of it, plus i would witness it for myself in the playground, any kind of bullying is not acceptable! verbal qnd physical my son T had both kinds and it had to stop. Of course the school didnt care so i took matters into my own hands and i decided i wouldnt let my son go to that hell hole if that is what it is doing to him, school life was destroying him!

Having a 'difference' to whatever they believe to be the 'norm' is very hard in schools and no matter what bullying is there and it wont go away, its not only the kids the teachers can be just as guilty!

Alexia x

I think it's because disabled people stand out.

Me with AS, and people manipulate me, and bully me just because I don't do what they do, like have a girlfriend or go out with mates.

I don't have to follow their clichés.

Personally, I don't care what they do.

It's true that Pete turned out to be a great role model for people with difficulties, but somehow I doubt that's what the programme makers intended. I expect they were privately gnashing their teeth that he didn't end up humiliated. I hate these programmes that legitimise bullying.

I still cringe when I hear High School students from a distance, or I see them skipping school, due to the hardships that I've gone through, in High School. The younger women at my old and only Job Site weren't that much more civilized. There were a couple of them who've picked on me, repeatedly. They kept on aksing if I did drugs, had a driver's license or shagged. They were also accusing me of being a Hippie. They also kept on ordering me around, telling me to dance and I've stood my ground, every time because I'm not influenced by the petty orders of stupid people. I've done everything within a two week peroid to stress to them that I'm not a Hippie and that I do things on my own terms. I've gotten my hair cut, after two months. I've gone to work on the day of the July Barbeque, dressed in one of my Mod suits and I've danced to "You Shouldn't Be Sad" - by The Kinks, on my own terms, to teach the East Indians, Asians and Central Americans a thing or two about the London Mod Culture of the Mid 1960s, that I've been obsessed with, since College. Those girls never picked on me, ever again. That was back in the Good Old Days of 1996, when the Routemaster was still the Queen of London's streets.

And ever it will be
As a sleeping beauty
Waiting for it's Prince
To awake it from
It's eternal slumber
And to praise the land forever more

There needs to be a lot more done on awareness of disability-in schools,on tv everywhere-especially of unseen-learning,mental,pyschiatric etc disabilities as the focus is usually on physical,there is this mentality within a lot of kids to treat the strange acting or slower kids as pyschos cause they dont understand what they are seeing and think its wrong to not be like the rest of their group.

Difference does not make a person subhuman and these bullies need to be taught that,perhaps schools should have self defence classes for kids who want them,rather than being forced to do PE if they are not good at it and get bullied for that as well.

I'm sorry you felt you had no choice but to remove your son from this school. It's a sad indictment of our education systems that even teachers are guilty of bullying. I hope you’ve found a solution to your son’s education that doesn’t involve him being bullied.

My solution at school to try to fit in was to become the classroom joker. I was largely left alone, as long as I amused others in this role. It did nothing for my confidence and self esteem.



Zamzara I totally agree with you. I was only focusing on the small amount of unplanned good that came out of this cynical attempt to boost TV ratings by including someone with Tourettes. Sadly I think this trend will continue. The obvious thing we can do is not watch these programmes.



Good on you CockneyRebel for not being influenced by these bullies to conform to their rules. I just love the way you manage to slip in the mention of Routemaster.

Finally it’s good to see that some organizations are trying to help address this problem. I know this is a UK organization and I’m sure there are similar organizations in other countries.

http://www.askmencap.info/IFM/GenInfo.n ... enDocument

I hate the Uk education system. With what was happening at home and what was happening at school I have little or no recolection of anything before the age of ten. The rest of my life is very fuzzy.

I am 18 and still get attacked every day on the street by people who bullied me at school.

Bullying is a serious issue in the UK and something seriously needs to be done about it.

JUST CAUS IM ASPIE AND ADHD DOESNT MEAN I NEED/WANT TO BE HURT OR CALLED NAMES.

I've clicked the Mencap link. I was very much absorbed, that I couldn't stop reading the articles that were relevent to me.

all i can hope is that the children who are being bullied have strength in themselves. someone tried to bully me once, but i was always very confident and had a high self esteem, so definitely didnt let them happen, i think i got that from my mum. i have aspergers by the way