How I dealt with bullying

A retired deputy headmaster recalls his approach to discipline twenty-five years ago

I read in the newspapers recently that the government had recommended that schools turn a blind eye to cases where a bully was attacked by his victim. Whereas such 'pupil on pupil violence' would normally be considered unacceptable, it was held that it was excusable for the victim of a bully to lash out against his tormentor.

This would not have been the case in my own day. Any belligerent behaviour amongst pupils was deemed to be totally beyond the pale and perpetrators were always severely punished. We aimed to stop bullying in its tracks before it got out of hand and led to violence. I was the deputy headmaster in a boys' comprehensive school and since our intake was mainly from large city council estates we had our fair share of 'hard cases'.

Corporal punishment was one of the sanctions available in those days, although in that particular school the cane was not over used. Indeed, only the headmaster and myself (his deputy) had the authority to cane, and the headmaster preferred to leave the job to me except in the most serious cases. I suppose I must have caned about three boys a week on average: not a high total compared with similar schools in the city.

There was one offence for which offenders always received the cane, and that was bullying. To my mind bullying in schools is a deplorable phenomenon which can lead to misery and despair amongst the unfortunate victims. Both masters and prefects kept an eye out for bullying of any description, and when a case was brought to my attention I had no hesitation in coming down very hard indeed on the perpetrators. I would like to recall one typical case which serves to illustrate the efficacy of corporal punishment in dealing with this problem.

Two fourth year boys from one of the rougher council estates were discovered extorting money from a number of first year pupils. The bullies terrorised their victims into handing over their pocket money and even their dinner money. The case finally came to light when one of the victims was caught by his mother taking money from her purse to pay off his tormentors.

The two bullies knew that they were in serious trouble and that they could expect a good dose of the cane. In my experience, bullies are invariably cowardly; at the same time they like to swagger and I noted with distaste that the two sallow faced 15-year-olds were indeed swaggering when I called them into my office to account for themselves. I told them that I intended to cane them directly after school and that they were to report to me for the punishment wearing PT kit.

I could see that these two braggarts needed taking down a peg or two and arranged for the three timid first-formers who had suffered the most at their hands to be present at the 'execution'. I also asked the PT master to attend, just in case there was any trouble. Just before four o' clock I assembled the first formers in my office (looking nervous but at the same time excited) and not long after the hour had struck the PT master arrived with the two fourth-years, shivering in singlets and white cotton shorts. They seemed surprised and embarrassed to note the presence of an audience, but I was not in the mood to listen to objections.

I picked up a medium-weight swishy punishment cane and brandished it in front of the two bullies. Of course nowadays, 'pupil power' has gone so far that a disruptive fifteen year old would probably grab the cane from the master and attack him with it! But twenty-five years ago there was still respect for authority and boys who had done wrong and been found out invariably accepted their allotted punishment. Offenders also knew that if they refused corporal punishment, worse sanctions might follow - by which I do not mean suspension (which is surely akin to a holiday from all that boring schoolwork) but expulsion.

Each of the bullies in turn was commanded to bend over and touch his toes like a naughty junior pupil, and I then proceeded to administer eight hefty swipes of the cane across the boy's backside. The only barrier between the hard springy cane and the offenders' bare flesh was a thin layer of white cotton, so the cane was guaranteed to sting like fury.

As I said, bullies are invariably cowardly, but as might be expected these particular bullies did their best to maintain a brave face in front of the assembled first-years (how embarrassing it would be to shed tears!). However, I was quite an expert with the cane in those days and by the time eight forceful cuts had been administered both of the offenders were on the verge of tears. I made them apologise to their victims and then go and stand face to the wall with their hands on their heads (they must have been desperate to rub their burning behinds!).

I sent the first-formers off home (doubtless with plenty to talk about) and also excused the PT master. I then made the two fourth-formers stand in front of my desk whilst I lectured them further on the evils of bullying and extortion. I told them they would have to repay all the money they had appropriated and warned them that further mishaviour of this kind might well result in expulsion. I then dismissed them and watched them walk off down the corridor towards the changing rooms. No doubt they would be comparing 'stripes' before changing back into school uniform for the journey home.

Times have changed, but I would maintain that my way of dealing with bullying is much superior to allowing bullies and victims to 'slug it out'. The cane was also very effective at deterring bullying in the first place.