A mum has revealed more than 20 videos of attacks and fights which she claims are just a fraction of those circulating at her children’s school Levenmouth Academy.
She says the videos, shown to The Courier, some of which show her own children being attacked, were filmed over the course of last year either just outside the school or in corridors.
They were sent to her kids via social media platforms including Facebook Messenger and Snapchat.
One of the videos – which we have chosen not to publish –Â shows her daughter being pulled along a corridor floor and punched by another a girl before an adult and the head teacher intervene to stop the attack.
What do the Levenmouth Academy videos show?
The footage also shows:
- One male pupil punching and kicking another male pupil under a staircase
- A boy punching another male pupil in the head FIVE times at a school entrance door until another pupil intervenes
- One male pupil cornering another pupil in a school corridor and punching him several times in the head and kicking him
The mum, who doesn’t want to be named fearing repercussions for her children, said her children are attacked daily at Levenmouth Academy and this has been going on for a year.
And the 44-year-old claims that if the perpetrators can’t get to her older son they go after his younger siblings.
The mum said: “My youngest girl was attacked in school a few weeks ago and is now too terrified to go back.”
She said her daughter has been sent threats via social media including voice notes on Snapchat.
Her children, she said, have been moved to an annexe to keep them safe as in the main school building they can’t go to the toilets for fear of being attacked.
She continued: “I really don’t want my daughter to fall behind with her schoolwork but I can’t send her in to school absolutely terrified every day.
“School is supposed to be a safe space.
“It is certainly not safe.”
Call for harsher punishments
The mum believes there needs to be harsher punishments for the pupils carrying out the attacks.
She said: “They are only excluded for two or three days – the longest exclusion is a week and then they are back in.”
The mum said staff have suggested her children move school.
But she said: “To me that is the victims being victimised again. I don’t find that fair in the slightest.
“The kids causing the problem should be told to move schools.”
She continued: “Don’t get me wrong my kids are not angels.
“My son has had an exclusion or two because he has been defending himself. A couple of times he has hit out first because he has felt threatened.
“The videos I have sent are only a very small amount of videos going into group chats on social media by these kids.”
She added: “This has gone on for too long now. The kids have tried to deal with this themselves but now they are coming at them in groups and it is getting far too dangerous.”
Robust policies and procedures in place at Levenmouth Academy
Ruth McFarlane, Levenmouth Academy head teacher, said the school has been working closely with the family involved to find a resolution.
She said various measures have already been put in place.
She said: “We always work closely with families to support our young people along with a wide range of partners and support agencies including DAPL, Clued Up, the local community police and counselling and educational psychologists.
“We have very robust policies and procedures in place to deal with this kind of behaviour.
“This kind of behaviour is not tolerated in our school.
“We regularly talk to our young people on the impact and fallout of bullying and physical violence and use a variety of restorative practices within the school.”
She urged any parents with concerns to come to Levenmouth Academy directly to discuss them.
Conversation