Bullying

[Rob Houghton]

I was called Big Ears, but it never upset me. We used to say, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me."

Not totally true, of course.

I think nicknames like that are just amusing - like me being called 'skinny' and my friend being called 'goofy' - they are used with affection.

The things that hurt me were usually things that kids said about my parents (most of whom had never even met them) such as calling my mom a 'slag' and a 'prostitute' etc. That used to upset me far more than being called stupid names myself. When kids suggested that they hoped my mom would die of cancer, that was also upsetting.

[Julie2owlsdene]

I was never bullied at school, junior or secondary, but we used to have fun names for each other, which was all harmless of course. I wonder if the kids back then when I was at school, weren't quite as nasty as some of the things I've just read on here!

[Rob Houghton]

I was never bullied at school, junior or secondary, but we used to have fun names for each other, which was all harmless of course.

I agree - its harmless good fun, and for the most part that was what I experienced, except for that awful first year of Secondary school.

Its funny how things affect us or change our perceptions of what is 'normal', as when I hear people say 'I was never bullied at school' - although I know that is true for most children (thankfully) I tend to think 'school without bullying? Is there such a thing?' Sadly bullying was rife in my secondary school - and it usually involved half the class ganging up on one child.

[Julie2owlsdene]

Bullying may have gone on in both my schools, Rob, I don't know, but I was never bullied, nor really witnessed anything either. Maybe as kids back in the 50's we were all just happy to play together, I don't really know. But the subject never really came up with the teachers or parents. And in those days, if you were misbehaving the teacher would give you a clout, and you'd get one when you got home if your parents found out too!!

[pete9012S]

Very true Julie - the good old days,when teachers were respected.

[sixret]

And in those days, if you were misbehaving the teacher would give you a clout, and you'd get one when you got home if your parents found out too!!

Very true even when I was young. Most parents back then were like that.

[sixret]

Are there bullies in Enid Blyton’s books?

[Rob Houghton]

Very true Julie - the good old days,when teachers were respected.

We used to get a heavy text book thudded down on our heads if we so much as looked around in our maths class!

[Darrell71]

In my dad's primary school when the bell for recess would ring all the kids would take pens and rulers and books and whatnot and just play some sort of war game the whole recess. They stopped after someone lost an eye.

In my school the only physical punishment the girls would get was from this cranky old maths teacher in 5th grade who'd rap on our hands with a wooden duster if we misbehaved, talked, or gave the wrong answer. He also told the best stories about Siberia to the entire class though, so we didn't complain, though it hurt like a b.

[Rob Houghton]

I don't think anyone who has lived in Britain all their lives who is under 40 would really remember corporal punishment at all, which is amazing. Makes me feel very old!

I remember in junior school Mr Martin, who was very 'old school' with grey flannels, blue blazer, army tie, doling out 'the ruler' during play times. I went in from the playground to take a teacher's cup to the staff room once and saw him with three boys, all standing on the corner squares of the games pitch in the assembly hall, awaiting their fate. He gave them several whacks with a ruler while the others watched, lol!

[IceMaiden]

Gosh I thought I'd had a bad time with bullying until I read some of the replies here .

I got picked on for behaving, I was 'teacher's pet' because I wouldn't rebel, misbehave, be a nuisance, answer back, or get into trouble. I obeyed the school rules and respected them, never yelled down the corridors or outside, didn't smoke, swear, drink, take things to class which weren't allowed or get caught behind the bike sheds as the rest of the class did so I was seen as Miss Goody Two Shoes, and due to this most of the other kids either poked fun at me, teased me, wouldn't speak to me as I wasn't 'cool' enough or tried to get me into trouble as I was so against doing so myself. I didn't mind not being spoken to, infact I used to try and stay silent at the back in the hope of not being noticed as it was better than being relentlessly teased.

The boys I found quite horrendous, they knew I was shy and extremely upstanding and principled so deliberately acted indecorous and crude to try and get a reaction and the girls weren't much better as they encouraged them. They seemed to see being respectable as scornful and stupid. I remember one day while the class was waiting for the teacher to arrive to the after break lesson, a boy who'd been sort of fixated on me for weeks grabbed me and pinned me against him and the wall. All the other boys egged him on which was sadly no surprise, but I was shocked to realise that the other girls, my so called classmates, were doing the same, not one of them told him to stop it or tried to help me as I struggled to get him to let me go, all they did was tell him to 'get it done quick before the teacher comes', which thankfully she did, but I've always wondered what would have happened if she hadn't. I couldn't even tell her as I knew none of them would have backed me up and they'd have only been worse with me then for being a tell-tale. I did make sure never to stand alone outside the classrooms with them again though, instead I would stand around a corner out of sight until the teacher arrived.

I've always been taught never to let someone see how they've affected you as they'll know the chink in your armour, instead smile and laugh to hide it, but I found a lot of the time I just couldn't fake a laugh. I hated my school years because of most of my classmates, I dreaded going in most days, and avoided school outings and trips as I couldn't stand the thought of being trapped in the bus on the way there with them. I pretended I didn't want to go - to the point the teacher offered to pay thinking we were short of money! - I didn't mind missing out the yearly end of term trip but I secretly did want to go to the plays and art gallery visits I turned down. There was only 4 or 5 of us left in the whole school on end of term trip day though so I really enjoyed those days as I could relax. I used to think often how I wished it had been different or that I'd had other classmates because I did love the teachers along with most lessons, and some classmates were ok, just a shame others weren't. I don't think anti-bullying policies really work either, our school had them, didn't mean you wouldn't be picked on as soon as a teacher was out of sight.

[Anita Bensoussane]

It's shocking to think of the bullying that goes on. Life can be tough enough without people going out of their way to make others feel miserable. If only everyone could live and let live!

Are there bullies in Enid Blyton’s books?

Yes - especially in the Naughtiest Girl series and the Mr. Pink-Whistle stories.

[Moonraker]

When kids suggested that they hoped my mom would die of cancer, that was also upsetting.

Crikey! What sort of school did you go to. I have never witnessed that at any of my schools

Sadly bullying was rife in my secondary school - and it usually involved half the class ganging up on one child.

Thankfully, in spite of my attendance of a secondary modern school, I never witnessed anything like that, either.

Very true Julie - the good old days,when teachers were respected.

And kids were abused by teachers with canings and beatings. I think teachers were feared more than respected.

[Rob Houghton]

When kids suggested that they hoped my mom would die of cancer, that was also upsetting.

Crikey! What sort of school did you go to. I have never witnessed that at any of my schools

lol - yeah quite! That was just a normal retort at my secondary school. 'Hope your mom/sister/dad/brother dies of cancer was pretty standard stuff.

[Moonraker]

Charming.

Social media is the place for bullies. I have read tweets to Teresa May hoping she dies soon. I even read on Facebook that people were being bullied into subscribing to the Journal...