THE SCOURGE OF BULLYING

I became transported back to my high school days when I read of the tragic suicide of 15-year-old Lufuno (YOU, 6 May). I was bullied badly because I too stayed quiet and didn’t join in the gossip of others.

It all came to a head in the science lab. The lights had been dimmed for an experiment. Two girls thought it would be great to throw permanent ink onto my legs. This, I was told by our teacher, was me trying to get attention.

I’m 71 now, and have never forgotten this bullying. I so wish I’d acted on this later in life. Perhaps children like Lufuno would still be alive.

I went on to nursing and am now a lay minister helping youngsters where I can. These bullies should be shown up for what they are. My prayers go out to this precious child’s family. May God give you strength and peace.

SYMPATHETIC, EMAIL

Spectators who stand by and watch one person bullying another human being or who go as far as actually recording the assault are just as guilty as the perpetrator (YOU, 6 May). They should be treated as accessories to the crime.

How anyone can callously observe a brutal and vicious act taking place, sometimes even inciting the aggressor, is beyond my comprehension.

I too was bullied mercilessly at school and kept it to myself. I was an extremely withdrawn and introverted child, small for my age, and the bully was a big lump of a child.

It was only when my mother noticed my unexplained bruises that she approached the school. The headmistress summoned me and my tormentor to the office, handed us each a pair of boxing gloves, advised us to “fight it out” and left the office.

Needless to say, we just stood there and awaited her return. She asked whether we’d sorting things out. We both nodded in the affirmative and were dismissed.

The bullying continued until we left to attend different high schools. The approach by this person of authority was totally inappropriate, and the same can be said of the principal of the school involved in the article. But this time an innocent child paid with her life.

STOP THE BULLIES, EMAIL

The bullying in our schools is sickening. What happens on our school grounds escalates to our communities. Schools are the grooming grounds for the thugs who rob us in our houses and break into banks and other institutions.

I’m calling on parents, teachers and community leaders to work together towards helping this situation. Schools need to employ psychologists and social workers to assist and eradicate this kind of sickness in our schools.

GODFREY MALIBE, ACORNHOEK