Today BB had her sports day, which she said was 3 boring hours of having to sit still and not really seeing anything. However the day was interrupted by the arrival of an ambulance with blue lights flashing.  A 1st year boy from the school was rushed to hospital after he had been beaten to a pulp and jumped on like a trampoline by a 3rd year boy from the school. Why? Because it would appear the 1st year boy was annoying the 3rd year boy and he, as the rumours put it, ‘lashed out!’ At this point I was stunned and pointed out to very strongly to BB that a boy having to be ambulanced to hospital is not the victim of a ‘lashing out’ he was a victim of a severe beating and nothing justifies that!

On a short search on the net for the High School I find this is not the first severe beating that has taken place at BB school, it just another in a long line of them.  Why not change schools I hear you say.  Well it’s simple they are ALL like it and aggression is becoming more and more indicative of the Scottish culture.  It’s no longer the Glaswegians, and the Gorbals (infamous for being a deprived and rough area, all though this is changing) that have the reputation of being violent and no go areas.  You don’t go into the small town, almost a large village, that is my local area after 5pm because that’s when the gangs start to arrive.  Not so long ago the town was rocked by every shop window being smashed, air pellets being fired at a school bus and cars smashed.  After that event the area is now patrolled by community officers all night and every night. 4.30pm arrives and you see the patrol start to meet and make their way to the town then take their routes.

If these towns and schools round here were inner city areas one would expected it more but no these are children who have come from rural areas and very small towns doing this.  We are also not talking about low level violence but full scale beatings, gun and knife crimes.  Little children of 9 and 10 are being beaten for their 11p they have in their pockets and a mobile phone, by adults, in the nearest city for instance.  Whilst it’s being reported that crime, and particularly violent crime and vandalism, is reducing in the county my particular area it is increasing, and at an alarming rate. 

As for the school beating, well I shall one be waiting to see what happens and shall be asking questions if the opportunity arises.  I also hope the boy recovers well and his parents do press charges!