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The Rhodesia Herald, January 18, 1972

London. – A “young bully” of 11 has been expelled from a secondary school here after an investigation into an extortion racket.

The expulsion came after a five-hour meeting between education officials and parents of boys at the school.

A dossier on the alleged attacks by two boys on other pupils was handed to an education officer.

A father, who refused to be named for fear of retaliation against his son, said: “My son has been scared to go to school because of what has been happening.

“I know of parents who would rather send their children to other schools after seeing them come home with bruises following demands for money.”

One boy named by the parents was immediately suspended and told not to return to the school.

The chairman of the school governors said: “He has been a thundering nuisance and a young bully. The other boy concerned was acting under his influence and will stay at the school.”

Lessons for today

• Bullying especially in schools has become an epidemic across the world.
• It has far reaching psychological consequences on the victims as it destroys the self-esteem of the victim. Studies have shown that the scars of bullying last for a long time and sometimes are permanent is those children are not provided with proper counselling or therapy
• Studies have shown that bullying is rife in single sex school and the perpetrators normally target the most vulnerable especially the first years.
• Parents of victims of bullying have a huge role to play especially in assuring their children that they are not responsible for what is happening to them, while it is also incumbent on school authorities to be always on the lookout for bullying. School should also take stern measures such as expelling the bullies as a warning to future perpetrators.