The family of a Fife schoolgirl filmed attacking another girl claim she snapped after months of bullying which was not tackled.
Video footage of the girl kicking another girl on the head and face as she lay on a classroom floor in Waid Academy has horrified the local community and been brought to the attention of First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.
But her older sister claims this is just one of many incidents of bullying and violence in the Anstruther school – including one in which she was the victim – and that while remorseful she is being made an example of.
She says her sister snapped after months of torment including an assault a fortnight ago – also recorded in a harrowing video seen by The Courier – in which her head was slammed on the floor, clumps of her hair pulled out and her lip burst.
She claims she contacted the school several times about issues between her sister and some other girls but the situation was allowed to escalate to breaking point.
All these kids are getting left to their own devices.”
Waid Academy attacker’s sister
Speaking to The Courier with the consent of their mother, the attacker’s adult sister said: “[My sister] knows what she did is bang out of order and she shouldn’t have done it, but it was the straw that broke the camel’s back.
“There’s only so much a person can take.”
She said: “There are lots of incidents being reported by other parents about their children and it’s just ignored.
“The only reason something is being done now is that this was on social media, it’s in the media and the police have got involved.
“All these kids are getting left to their own devices.”
The violence was one of two incidents known to have occurred at the school on Monday.
A boy is alleged to have been knocked unconscious in a fight which took place outside the building.
Incidents ‘fully investigated’
Head teacher Scott Duncan said: “When incidents of fighting are reported to us they are fully investigated and we have very robust policies and procedures in school to deal with this kind of behaviour.
“Appropriate and proportionate consequences are always put in place.
“We work closely with families to support young people, making sure they feel safe and help them reflect and work on escalated behaviours.
“We don’t tolerate behaviour of this kind in our school and I can’t stress enough that this kind of behaviour is not indicative of the vast majority of pupils at Waid Academy.”
