Disabled girl's hair set on fire and bullied non stop

[Matt]

Published: 14/12/2011 09:00 - Updated: 14/12/2011 09:16
Girl's hair set on fire by school bullies

Adam Luke

VICTIM: Shelby with mum Nikki, who wants tougher action taken against bullies after Shelby’s ordeal

A furious mum says schools “have to do more to tackle bullying” after her 13-year-old disabled daughter had her ponytail set on fire – during Ofsted’s anti-bullying week.
Nikki Browning, of White Hart Lane, Godmanchester, contacted the News to highlight what she sees as failures from teachers in “safeguarding children”.
Her daughter Shelby Barnes suffered at the hands of a crowd of children during Hinchingbrooke School’s break period, during which she was the subject of punching, hair-pulling and name-calling, with one person setting fire to her hair with a lighter.
The flames were put out quickly but the experience was so upsetting for the youngster, who was born with leg problems which are likely to leave her wheelchair-bound from the age of 25, that she cannot bring herself to return to school.
The harshest punishment the offenders received was a week’s suspension – but the school has defended its stance as “robust”.
Mrs Browning, who is also mother to Courtney, 18, Charlotte, 20, and 4-year-old Dylan said Shelby had to have more than an inch cut from her singed hair.
The 38-year-old said: “They surrounded her and beat her up and then set fire to the end of her pony tail.
“She often wears hair spray but on this day thank God she had it in a ponytail instead or it could have been worse.
“They made her life miserable and since the incident she can’t sleep and she hasn’t been eating – she is terrified and won’t go back.”
The attack took place last month during Ofsted’s annual anti-bullying week. The body uses this time to focus on how schools can promote and ensure pupil safety to reduce bullying and harassment.
Keith Nancekievill, headteacher at Hinchingbrooke School, said: “The school has strong policies and practice to address incidents of bullying which were confirmed by Ofsted's June 2011 report that ‘students feel very safe’.
“In this specific case, careful consideration was given to the application of the policy, taking into account the students’ young age and other relevant factors.
“Robust disciplinary action was taken consistent with these considerations and the school’s commitment to anti-bullying practices.”
Mrs Browning has been invited to talk to the school directly about her ongoing concerns.

That is appalling! To think this happened at my old school and that they did practically nothing about it! Just shows what school do about bullying... not enough Thoughts?

[GommeInc]

That's pretty unsurprising. Schools are too lazy to tackle the problem, they prefer to just suspend the ill-mannered and poorly behaved children rather than actually tackle the problem head on. Suspension is just another word for "a week on holiday", the child doesn't learn a single thing. If this was the 1950s it would mean something, but children these days have so many ways of contacting the outside world from inside their bedrooms that suspension doesn't feel like a prison sentence.

I'm not sure what is a suitable punishment, but from what I remember taking the bullies to one side and talking to them on their level about what they've done and about the condition of the girl seems like it would of been useful. Even getting them to apologise to her and be told to grow up wouldn't of gone a miss.

[HotelUser]

Awwh, she looks adorable in the photo, how could anyone be so cold as to set her hair on fire.

This occurrence reminds me of one similar where a special needs student in Ohio was called "dumb", "fat", and "friendless" by a teacher and special needs worker:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...ies-class.html

I originally saw the above on Anderson. Things like this bother me quite a lot, because some day this could be my daughter, niece, friend or even just fellow Canadian and I and everyone else would be clueless about it, so we couldn't do a thing to help.

[Neversoft]

careful consideration was given to the application of the policy

Ugh. They got that one right out of the book, didn't they. Bloody hate this generic stock language from teachers. This make anyone else cringe?

An unfortunate incident indeed. The bullies need a good whipping. Right after their hair is set on fire.

[Matt]

The two students should have been expelled in my opinion, it would then go on their record and cause a bigger problem for them seeing as they would need to get another school. You hear of people getting bullied and nothing being done about, then the best the school can do here is, as Ross said, give them a holiday. They need to learn something from this experience and hopefully be taught not to do it again. The police weren't even involved which is wrong. The parents should be charged and then the bullies would have to deal with their parents too.

@Neversoft i agree too. Put the bullies through what that girl suffered. Setting her hair on fire is taking bullying to the next level.

[Metric1]

the mum looks like my moms friend renee.

scaryyyyyy

[The Don]

Did they actually set her hair on fire, or is this beingblown out of proportion by the media? Either way it's horrendous to think that kids can be so horrible asto go and set someones hair on fire.

[GeorginaxD]

Did they actually set her hair on fire, or is this beingblown out of proportion by the media? Either way it's horrendous to think that kids can be so horrible asto go and set someones hair on fire.

Her daughter Shelby Barnes suffered at the hands of a crowd of children during Hinchingbrooke School’s break period, during which she was the subject of punching, hair-pulling and name-calling, with one person setting fire to her hair with a lighter.
The flames were put out quickly but the experience was so upsetting for the youngster, who was born with leg problems which are likely to leave her wheelchair-bound from the age of 25, that she cannot bring herself to return to school.

Yes, they set her hair on fire.

[GommeInc]

Yes, they set her hair on fire.

That doesn't really answer his question. He was wondering if the media was blowing it out of proportions, so quoting the media source reporting on this incident isn't really an answer It's like asking "Did Nick Clegg actually say Cameron was dumb or was David Cameron just blowing it out of proportions" and then quoting David Cameron as the source. It's not the first time the media has got a story wrong. About 4 UK newspaper companies copied a news story off each other which was actually wrong Something about a school leaving a child hanging in a tree due to health and safety issues when actually the woman who was quoted as the source was told to leave school property prior to the event.

[GeorginaxD]

That doesn't really answer his question. He was wondering if the media was blowing it out of proportions, so quoting the media source reporting on this incident isn't really an answer It's like asking "Did Nick Clegg actually say Cameron was dumb or was David Cameron just blowing it out of proportions" and then quoting David Cameron as the source. It's not the first time the media has got a story wrong. About 4 UK newspaper companies copied a news story off each other which was actually wrong Something about a school leaving a child hanging in a tree due to health and safety issues when actually the woman who was quoted as the source was told to leave school property prior to the event.

Hm, true I guess. :s