Babies Born September 2007 #29

**Isadora** · May 23rd, 2008, 12:31 PM

Go Marydean!!! Poor H doesnt understand that she shouldnt have to make her escape around at the back exit to avoid the bully. School is meant to be a fun & safe environment! Would they have told the bully's mother about the incident? I would be horrifed as a mother to hear that my child is a bully. Good on you for marching up to the school, I would have done the exact same thing. I was bullied by a boy in primary school and it went on for ages, it even got physical, he hit me a few times. I was too scared to tell anyone but mum picked up on it when I didnt want to go to school anymore. The teachers did nothing much so mum took matters into her own hands and had a word with him herself, and also approached his bogan parents who were horrible people. That worked in the end, but I still remember it vividly to this day, was terrible.

Glad you are onto it quick smart MD.

**AnyDream** · May 23rd, 2008, 12:47 PM

I've got to say, it's not the first problem H has had. She tends to dance to the beat of her own drum a bit, as well as flitting from group to group (she doesn't have her own established little posse of friends which I think might make her vulnerable). But on each occasion the school has acted swiftly and very appropriately. They document every thing too so they have a paper record so they can present evidence to the offending child's parents. I think it's been a problem at the school for a while (and it's got something to do with the layout of the school grounds, too big to be supervised properly). But I'm really proud of Hannah that each time she has told me and stood her ground and expected the perpetrator to be dealt with appropriately. Jazmum, the Zone works on getting the offenders to understand the cost of their actions, and then they are taken through a restorative process where the victim gets to tell them how their actions affected them and how they would like them to make amends, and then the perpetrator has to make amends and apologise (sincerely). In one instance the boy responsible was removed from the class for a whole week and not allowed to rejoin his class until Hannah agreed that she was comfortable to have him back. They take it very very seriously. TBH if they didn't I would remove H from that school because it's not OK to let that stuff happen and not protect the kids!!!

**Patooties** · May 23rd, 2008, 12:58 PM

that's fantastic that the school takes the issue so seriously. I must look into the policy at Jess's school.
Does anyone know if you can find out whether sex offenders live in your area? Was just watching a little bit of Dr Phil over lunch and the topic got me wondering whether i have access to that information. I did see a website where you can pay for that sort of information, but i don't want to do that.

**AnyDream** · May 23rd, 2008, 01:09 PM

Jazmum, I just take the view that there could be sex offenders living in every house on the street (except mine of course and I'm pretty confident there's not any at the FDC lady's house), lurking in every playground and hanging around every school. Statistically there probably are and they might not ever have been charged or prosecuted. Personally if I ever meet a man who is just a little too "nice" or a little too friendly it just raises the hackles on my neck and I make sure my DDs aren't ever near that person. Ever.

With regard to prosecuted pedophiles, the police keep a pretty good eye on them, and there are victim networks who keep an eye on their movements as well.