"As a school we cover mental health and personal well-being in the curriculum in all year groups and have support available in school through a pastoral team that includes two trained counsellors." This is the school's response when one of its students committed suicide as a result of bullying.
I have written on this topic previously arguing that a school's culture (or climate) is part of, or even responsible for, what happens, from student success to events such as this. Clearly schools cannot be as present in these days of distance or virtual learning as they would be with face-to-face onsite programs, however they still have some responsibility for relationships and for how students and groups relate to each other. According to the news report, in this case the aggressions began before the school closed and transitioned to online programs.
However what caught my eye is the school's complete abrogation of any responsibility. "We cover mental health .. in the curriculum". We have done all we can. Excuse me while I go and wash my hands.
The representative goes on to say, "'We encourage students to raise their problems with staff." And then we will react. We will react most reactively.
Obviously the details are not known, and much of what happened and who did what to whom will remain confidential. Equally obviously, in this case the tip of the spear is the bullies, the classmates and fellow students who did and aid what they did. But the blade of the spear, the shaft and the energy behind it are the school, its leadership and its culture and they should be held to account.
**Questions and comments below.**
Further reading
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8953487/Bullied-girls-mother-went-angry-rampage-school.html
https://teaching-abc.blogspot.com/2020/10/when-this-happens-at-school-school.html
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