Fighting Back

Has anyone ever told you to fight back if you're being bullied? If someone hits you, hit them back? It seems a common piece of advice that parents, grandparents and siblings alike pass on to their relatives when they're being picked on. But is it the right thing to do?

Bully Free Zone says no.

Here's an example of only one of the reasons why fighting back is not the answer.

Girl suspended after reacting to "bullying"


AN ANGRY dad who claims his daughter has been the victim of cruel school bullies has slammed council chiefs after she was suspended from lessons for “fighting back”.


Roy Graham insists his 12-year-old girl Samantha has suffered bullying since she was a pupil at Heriot Primary, in Paisley, and the problems have continued after she moved on to Gleniffer High after the summer break.


He was horrified when Samantha was handed a two-day suspension by Gleniffer High staff for fighting with another pupil.


Mr Graham claims that his daughter was merely defending herself and he is now locked in a war of words with the school in a bid to have the punishment quashed.


He took Samantha along to Gleniffer High yesterday morning – the first day of the ban – but was refused entry by school staff.


Mr Graham said: “They are treating my daughter as the aggressor and that’s not on.
“In my eyes, she has done nothing wrong, so why are they denying her a right to education?”


The Paisley man claims Samantha was targeted by a bully last week.


He said that, when the school bell rang, Samantha made her way to the top of a staircase and was pushed from behind.


Mr Graham then alleges that a bully caught up with his daughter at the foot of the stairs and started to thump her.


But, when Samantha “defended herself”, it was the other girl who ended up on the floor.


The incident was brought to the attention of school staff and Samantha, along with the other pupil, was suspended.


Mr Graham, of Foxbar Road, said: “Kids can only take so much. It was only after many bullying incidents that Samantha hit back.


“She is not a troublemaker and never received so much as a punishment exercise in seven years of primary school.


“I’m told that the other girl involved in this incident had just returned to school after serving another suspension for thumping someone else.”


After being refused entry to Gleniffer High yesterday, Mr Graham and Samantha visited the education department at Renfrewshire Council.


He said: “I told them about the situation and they promised to investigate but I don’t hold out much hope for a successful outcome.”


However, a spokesman for Renfrewshire Council defended the decision to hand Samantha a suspension.


He said: “The council has a strong anti-bullying policy which is operated by all our schools. We fully investigate all allegations of bullying.


“Statements were taken from pupils who witnessed the incident and they gave a consistent account of what had happened.


“In the light of these statements and after considering the full background to the case, the school has taken appropriate action.”

Taken from http://www.paisleydailyexpress.co.uk

Fighting back can cause you and/or someone else to get hurt, like Samantha you may end up in serious trouble and if you're being bullied, the last thing I imagine you would want is to be labelled the bully.

The most important thing you can do if you're being bullied is to TELL SOMEONE!