Apparently, being an Olympian at the tender young age of 14 doesn't preclude one from incensing the pathetic bullies of the world. Tom Daley, a 14-year-old diver from England -- who finished seventh in Beijing and is planning on diving in the 2012 London games -- has been virtually forced to change schools due to being excessively bullied. Daley was attending Eggbuckland Community College, until finally having to say enough is enough. Though it began that way, this wasn't simply verbal harrassment.
'It started harmlessly, like calling me `diver boy' and other things,'' Daley said. ``I tried to ignore it, but it didn't stop and it got worse.''Hopefully someone has sufficiently explained to Daley these bullies are just immature and likely incredibly insecure people, and that he shouldn't worry himself with guys who probably won't accomplish anything as much as he already has their entire lives. Having never been bullied myself, I'm not sure if that actually means something to a 14-year-old kid, but it should. Here's hoping he understands that and just brushes everything off before starting at his new venue of study.
By the winter semester, Daley was searching for reasons not to go to school. Shortly after that, when his schoolwork and diving began to suffer, Daley confided in his father.
"When I was annoyed at school I began to get annoyed while I was diving, so in that way it affected me,'' Daley said.
Daley's father, Rob, said: ``[Tom] should be seen as a role model for these kids, not someone to be picked on.''
Soon, the bullying had escalated and Daley could not walk the halls of Eggbuckland without being shoved, cursed at and berated. The elder Daley took his son's concern to the school principal, Katrina Borowski.
But Borowski called the problem ''the actions of a few bad apples,'' and little was done to fix the problem, according to the elder Daley.
''The bullying got more severe after that,'' he said. ``He was tackled to the floor, had pens and pencils thrown at him.''
In the spring, while Daley was preparing for the World Series of Diving, the intimidation came to a head. After stories of Daley's persecution came out in the local papers, a bully threatened to break his legs. Afterward, Daley finished sixth and fifth at world series events in Qatar and Sheffield, England, respectively.
''And that was enough for us,'' the elder Daley said.
Thus far, that seems to be what he's done.
''It's a load off my mind,'' he said. ``Some of those worries aren't there anymore.As far as the bullies? I'm sure they found some other kid upon whom to take out their adolescent insecurities. The school's actions of labeling them "bad apples" instead of trying to work with them is just as much of a problem as the bullying itself.
``It's a different world altogether."
Hat-tip: Game On
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
7-20-2009 @ 6:56PM
Ancomm said...
Communication is the most preventative tool schools have. But many have yet to harness their best assets, the students themselves, who, when given modern tools to connect with their counselors, administrators and security personnel will break the pervasive 'code of silence'.
Ask any student how many text messages he/she sends in a month. This is how they connect with each other and it is time to harness this same technology to allow our students to actively participate in seeking help and preventing incidents before more catastrophes occur. We must bridge the gap and marry their technological savvy with our life experiences. How many tragedies have to occur before we realize this?
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7-21-2009 @ 12:59PM
Zach said...
Its not just outcasts and nerds who get picked on- children of exceptional talent also get targeted for intimidation and harassment. Changing schools might work in some situations, but the best way to fix the problem is deal with the causes. There's a program getting a lot of positive attention called The Total Bully Solution. It's a learn at home course for parents and kids age 5-12 that provides practical stratagies to stop bullying in its tracks. You can read about it at totalbullysolution.com
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7-21-2009 @ 1:45PM
sachab1 said...
Sadly things have not changed at Eggbuckland Community college since I was there 22-15 years ago, I had similar treatment at around the same age from the bullies for being 'different'. Interestingly Ms Borowski has been there a very long time (I remember her as my science teacher she started in '88) I would have thought she'd have a better handle on the school....
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7-25-2009 @ 9:31PM
kariewcpa said...
Maybe someone should explain things to you, Mr. Snyder. Being shoved, pushed to the ground and having sharp objects like pens and pencils thrown at you is not just a few immature kids and just 'brush it off, Tom' These are dangerous actions that could maim Tom or a passing student and the principal should not sit in her closed office door and say nothing can be done. It doesn't matter that Tom Daley is a gifted athlete. No child should have to endure treatment like that in school. I was bullied when I was young but it never rose to the level of threats to break my legs. People taking this lightly is how children kill themselves because school is such a terror for them. That has happened here in the US.
I wish Tom the best of luck and that his new school will treat him with the respect all children should have at school.
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