Schoolgirls spiked my daughter’s drink with laxatives.

[Halfordscarpark]

This is more of a WWYD I guess.

My daughter has been bullied recently at school, some physical, some verbal and this week the bullies poured laxatives into her water bottle at lunchtime and I had to leave work to collect her.

I’ve not heard anything more from the school or the parents and the children are still in school.

I’m interested to hear what you think and what you would do in this situation as this is not acceptable.

Yes I think my first port of call would be an official complaint to the head, stating their own bullying policy to them (which will be on their website). I would say in this complaint that this bullying has been ongoing and that this latest incident is abuse and they need to be suspended!… state that if they don’t effectively punish these bullies then you will have no option than to go higher and also to the police.
I would state that you expect to have heard back by 13:00hrs on Monday 15th otherwise you will be reporting these girls to the police.

Having read further updates I’d recommend filing a formal complaint about the girls but also about the schools failure to act.
I would also file a police report. Asap

Report to police, email to official school email address every single incident to build evidence because the school could gaslight you. Every time she's assaulted like this, take her to the GP, you must have it in GP records too. Always treat such situations as if you're presenting a case to a judge.

Don't lose hope, stay calm and logical and you'll win! ❤️ 🙏

I feel very sorry for your dd and this is awful of course.

The school should have got back to you as promised, and you should call for an update on Monday and have every right to be angry.

However, these situations are very difficult for schools to deal with because I can almost guarantee that the following happened :

The aggressors denied it and said they had the laxative for a genuine reason, fully supported by their parents because 'they would never do something like that' or 'she said she never did it and I believe her.' They say dd is lying about being ill and you are lying to support her.

Or the aggressor say it was a prank she was on board with but has now changed her tune. Again fully supported by parents.

Or the aggressors admit it 'but only because she's been bullying us for weeks and this was our retaliation to make her stop'. Again, fully supported by parents.

So pp who are angry that she school are 'doing nothing' - I'm sure they will be, but it is not easy.

You can call the police as pp have suggested but I think you'll be disappointed with their response.

I have no doubt that the police would take this seriously.. it’s a crime.

It would also be in the interests of the bullies to be referred

The girl who murdered Briana Ghey had been moved schools because she’d spiked another child’s drink. I forget what the substance was. The new school (where she met Briana) was not given the full information. The girl also spiked Briana’s drink prior to the final fatal attack. Report it to the police and they can decide if a crime has been committed. Spiking drinks is serious.

Drink spiking is a crime. No matter what it was. Report it to the police. Inform the school of your action, if those girls are not suspended immediately seriously consider moving your daughter to another school.

Police and ofsted, do let the school know that you'll be contacting Ofsted with this information regardless of the outcome.
That will get them moving.

But my point is, at 13 they probably know fine well what a laxative does. We have them in our medicine cabinet. And I'm fairly sure they would have read the dosage. Teens aren't babies.

When another PP said it had happened to her son, also aged 13, I wondered if it was a thing, so I googled 'prank laxative' and OMG it really is a thing. Thriving trade. 😮

@WagnersFourthSymphony Thing or no thing- it still doesn't justify the bullies action. They should bare the consequences.

I don’t think @WagnersFourthSymphony is saying that it being a ‘thing’ excuses it, @dontcryformeargentina - indeed, I think she is expressing her horror that this isn’t a lone incident.

Thanks, I am certainly not condoning it or playing it down - I find it utterly appalling.

I'm so sorry your daughter and you are going through this. It's horrendous when your child is bullied.
I would:

1. arrange a meeting with head of year at school. 2) Obtain a copy of their bullying policy
2. request a detailed plan of: a) What action have they taken for this and previous incidents. They should have completed safeguarding reports b) details of what they are going to do to keep your daughter safe whilst in their care. c) advise them that if this is not addressed you will be reporting to the police, consider doing this anyone, due to incidents of assault.

I would suggest keeping your daughter off school but its so hard going back in after absences.

I wish you the best of luck and hope your daughter is OK xx

Thank you everyone who took the time to reply. Apologies for not getting back sooner as I work night shifts and have been exhausted.

I have contacted the police and they said it is a case of assault and have taken all the details. They are taking it very seriously.

I had a very brief meeting with the school when I collected my daughter and was assured I would be informed of the outcome of the investigation but have not heard anything since. Other parents have contacted me to tell me their children were bullied by the same kids so I’m hoping the police will be an end to this. This can’t continue.

I’ve heard they were given 1 days suspension. In light of the fact they have badly bullied other kids are potentially could have seriously harmed my daughter I will be asking what they propose to do about this.

Thanks everyone, you all told me what I needed to hear.

Good luck with the school tomorrow xx

Wishing you the very best OP.

Quite!

I’d raise merry hell if this was my child!

@Halfordscarpark You need to get angry and stand up for your child. Get a backbone and create the biggest scene you can!

If you don’t show your child how to stand up for themselves and to injustice aimed at them, then they’ll always be the focus of bullies.

Call the Police and report this. It’s a serious assault. And tell the school, you’re not satisfied with their pathetic handling of this (or lack there of) and therefore you’ve gone to the police and they will be taking up the matter, seeing as how they aren’t capable.

Sorry - cross posted!

Good to hear you’ve contacted the police.

Hopefully these little brats will get their comeuppance

So glad you contacted the police @Halfordscarpark , I bloody hope they show the school just how serious this is.

Hope you are all doing okay as possible, navigating this stuff is exhausting and so hard.

Thank you for the update.

A one day suspension is inadequate, as I'm sure you already know. I'm glad that you've contacted the police.

The school needs to put in a place a risk assessment for each individual culprit. I'm not sure how things are managed in England (where I assume you are) but in my LA in Scotland permanent exclusions are not allowed. However, it is possible for there to be a whole-school transfer. Whether it's done via whole-school transfer is expulsion is immaterial.

It is going to be difficult to manage because of the number of villains (sic) involved. However, that is not your problem. You might find senior management proposing a change of school for your daughter - because it's easier to move one pupil rather than several. However, there is no reason why your daughter should be punished by a move to another school because of the other pupils' criminal behaviour. Moreover, you have now established that your daughter is not the bullies' only victim.

The fact that the police are now aware strengthens your case.

You say that you "heard" that there had been a one day suspension. I'm wondering whether you were informed officially or via another parent? If you've had no feedback at all from the school as yet, make sure to add that to any letter that you send to officialdom.

As a bare minimum, the school needs to ensure that your daughter has no contact with these reprobates on school premises. You're going to have to be assertive.

From experience, schools often deal with bullying by allowing the victim to leave class/school early in order to avoid the bullies. In my view, this is simply allowing the bullies to win and punishing the victim by depriving them of part of their education.

I'm just mentioning this so that you can prepare yourself for such "helpful" suggestions from the school.

A mature and measured approach. I hope the Police come down hard on these horrors, they are spiteful cowardly bullies.
You are not the only one whose teen has been bullied, maybe something can be done about them now, can the other parents contact the school?aThe school will not be able to Bury their heads in the sand then.
I hope you get the outcome that satisfies you, and the bullying stops for your daughter and other pupils.

I’m so glad you contacted the police, contact ofsted too about the schools lack of response and culture of bullying x

@Halfordscarpark you’ve done the right thing. I hope this horrible chapter can be brought to an end