Breeding a nation full of tearaways

3:57pm Wednesday 22nd August 2001

I was shocked to read the article (News Shopper, August 8) about a nine-year-old girl and her brother who suffered abuse at the hands of school bullies.

I myself was bullied at school and repeatedly had chairs thrown at me and pens jammed into my hands and arms. It wasn't until I was left lying in the street after being punched in the stomach anything was done.

Consequently, the culprit was made to go to a different secondary school to me. However, throughout my teenage years and now into the beginning of my adult years I am still mentally scarred by the abuse and paranoid about being touched by men. Bullying in schools has always been a problem but both verbal and physical incidents such as these are unacceptable. I don't think corporal punishment in schools is the answer, because many of these bullies would actually have the guts to fight back. But in these serious cases police involvement is a must, and maybe a short trip to a young offenders' institution.

I read in the papers all the time about kids causing trouble and I see children as young as eight or nine hanging around the streets smoking and drinking. Are we breeding a nation of tearaways? Anyway, I send my best wishes to the two children concerned and hope they receive the compensation they seek.

Amy Radridge

Elm Road

Sidcup