Injustice

I visited H. yesterday. H. is a teacher at the local High School and also a young Mum, which is how I know her. She has two children at the local Primary School and serves as a fellow Governor of the school.

About a month ago her son came home on his bike one Sunday afternoon, bruised, shocked and crying. He had been set upon by three other lads, two of whom were bigger and older than him, knocked to the ground and kicked and punched. When she had patched him up and comforted him, H. cycled to the playing fields to confront the bullies, also on bikes. The youngest one fled as soon as he saw her coming., but H. yelled at the other two, giving them a furious telling-off.

Two days later, H. was arrested. Her fingerprints and photograph were taken and she was questioned for five hours at the police station. A day after the incident, the two bullies had produced a photo of red marks on the older boy’s neck, claiming that H. had grabbed his neck and punched him three times in the stomach. All nonsense, of course. The boy already has an ASBO and the entire community of kids is terrified of him.

H. has been suspended from her job and is presently waiting to see whether the Crown Prosecution Service thinks there is sufficient evidence to charge her. The younger boy (the one who fled) is backing up the story and saying he witnessed everything.

If the case goes to court  (it looks as though it might) and H. wins, all her expenses will be paid (by the taxpayer) but nothing at all happens to the boys in question. If she loses, she will never teach again, will have to give up her voluntary positions as secretary of the local Scouts and as school governor and will never be able to work with children again, quite apart from the damage to her personal reputation. Worse case scenario – six months in jail.

The police are sympathetic but have to do their job. They admitted to H. that had she worked in Tesco rather than a school, they would simply have shrugged and ignored the complaint. But because she’s a teacher, they have to follow through any complaint, however false. And they told H. that it’s up to her to show contrary evidence proving that the boys are lying. So much for being innocent until proven guilty.

What has happened to our country when a good teacher’s entire life can be ruined by a couple of known bullies?

H. was even told that if she shouts too loudly at any children she can be accused of verbal abuse and investigated all over again. Now, even if she does return to teaching (she’s on tranquillisers since this episode), how will she keep control of the young thugs which every classroom has?

I’m deeply troubled by this gross injustice, but helpless. I’ve written to the CPS and H.’s school, offering a character reference and my support, but can’t do much else. But I really fear for our country when even in quiet rural communities kids can ruin adults’ lives and get away with it scot free.

(To comment, click on title)