Being bullied at school

Dear Pastor

I am nine years old and at a school in Jamaica. School is fun but some of the students from a neighbouring class often pick on me at lunchtime.

It all began at last year's Christmas class party of the fourth grade block when I lined up to get ice cream. When I was given my cone, I started to take small bites of it.

Students started to tease me, saying things like "nyam out di cone". I had to get a second cone because I dropped the first. The second cone I received had a little chip on it. I started to eat it.

The students started to tease me again. I could not take it any more, so I bit into another student's cone in fury. They started to say things like "a wan craven (greedy) gal".

I started to throw a tantrum, dropping the second cone in the process. Another incident occurred when one of the girls started to interfere with me. She kicked me in my stomach. That was the most painful kick I ever received in my life.

I cried out and one of the teachers told them that they should leave me alone. They say other mean things about me, like calling me stupid.

Pastor, I do not know what to do because if I tell them something mean, they will offend me more. Please help me.

Student

Dear Student

Did an adult help you to write this letter? If the answer is in the affirmative, that adult doesn't like you and is not a good role model for you.

I am responding to your letter for two reasons. First, because I believe that your schoolmates were bullying you and you were unable to handle it.

They might have thought that they were having fun but what they were doing upset you, and what you should have done was to report them to your teachers.

The second reason why I have thought of answering this letter is to express my disgust over the type of foul language you have written in your letter to express yourself, which I have deleted.

You are only nine years old and you have used the 'F' word in your letter twice. I find this very disgusting and it does not speak well of you, and it is also a disgrace to your parents/guardians and your school.

It is for these reasons I have not mentioned the name of your school and its location. You mentioned also names of your teachers, which I also took out.

They would not be proud of you because you have brought shame on the school. You are a very rude and out-of-order child. You should be disciplined.

You are no credit to your school and I hope that you would learn to control yourself and try to conduct yourself as a student in whom your school can be proud.

There is no reason why you should be using obscene language to express yourself. You are very disrespectful. Shame on you.

Pastor