Schoolgirl tormented by bullies battered again just two hours after returning to class
Orla Cameron, eight, told earlier this week how she would rather do "nothing in life" than go back to school where she is being badly bullied.
A little girl whose life is being made hell by bullies returned to school yesterday and lasted only 90 minutes before being assaulted in the classroom.
Orla Cameron told yesterday how she would rather do nothing in life than go back to school where she has been the victim of bullying for two years. The bullying had escalated until she was attacked by four boys two weeks ago. She was knocked to the ground and then punched, kicked and had her hair pulled.
When the boys ran towards her in the playground a few days later Orla jumped the fence and ran home and had refused to go back to school. Her mum, fearing for her mental health, kept her at home but was furious that the boys who attacked her were continuing with their education while Orla was not able to do so.
Orla, eight, from Musselburgh attends Campie Primary School in the town.
In the Record yesterday she said: “My dream job was to be a singer but now I don’t want to do anything when I grow up because I don’t want to go to school because I don’t feel safe. I would rather do nothing in life.”
And she told how she is even afraid when a teacher is around. But after her story appeared in the Daily Record her mum Rachel McLauchlan, 30, persuaded her to return to school.
Rachel said: “I thought her being in the paper would have improved things. I told Orla the teachers would be keeping a closer eye on her now and that she would be ok. But she was in school an hour and a half when it started again.
“She went to get a tissue in the classroom and a boy tried to trip her up; when he failed to do so he kicked her. Orla spent the next hour in the head teacher’s office drawing pictures.
“When I dropped Orla off this morning I said to the school they needed to protect her and if they needed to have an adult with her the whole time then that should happen. I was told ‘don’t worry we’ll keep an eye on her’ but an hour and a half later she was kicked.
“When I got to her she was in tears and I had to take her home again because she is petrified to be in school. She was crying, I couldn’t leave her there in school in that mess.”
Orla’s granny Roshenda Cochrane went with Rachel to collect Orla. She said: “I know teachers can’t stop things happening but it is about how it is dealt with afterwards. What do these boys have to do to Orla before they are excluded from school?”
The head teacher has refused to tell the family what action will be taken against the boy in this latest incident.
READ MORE: Scots bride shares reality of morning after wedding with brilliant mirror selfieREAD MORE: Mourners asked to stop spreading ashes of loved ones at Scots beauty spotsAnd Rachel remarked: “The head teacher would have been as well to sit with her face stuffed in a sock because everything that comes out her mouth is useless.”
The family have been advised to submit a stage two complaint which will independently assess how the school has handled their complaints.
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An East Lothian Council spokeswoman said: “Bullying is not acceptable in any of our schools and all of our behaviour policies make that clear. The school team will be having further discussions with Orla’s family following today’s update to discuss next steps.”
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