Schoolboy threatened with punishment for texting home to say he was being bullied (From This Is Local London)

Schoolboy threatened with punishment for texting home to say he was being bullied

9:08am Monday 6th February 2012 in Education By Jim Palmer

A SCHOOLBOY was threatened with punishment for using his phone at school – after he text his dad to say he was being bullied.

Year 9 pupil Sam Moore, 13, was kept at home Thursday (January 25) because Hextable Secondary School planned to punish make him spend a day of lessons and break times away from his friends.

At 10.45am last Wednesday, Sam sent his dad Grant Clarke, 43, a text which said: “A Year 11 is kicking me.”

His parents rang the school to check he was ok. Hearing nothing back, his mum Binny Moore, 40, picked him up as normal that afternoon.

Ms Moore said: “He said it was all sorted but that he was in isolation tomorrow because he sent a text to his dad asking for help.

“It is outrageous. It sends a message not to ask for help.”

IT worker Ms Moore let Sam go back to school on Friday after head teacher Peter Dalton agreed to waive the punishment.

Mr Dalton said the school had a policy that mobile phones are not permitted. He added: Our role is to encourage students to be responsible adults and to work within the boundaries set.”

Mr Dalton said: “I am confident that the school dealt with the matter in a fair and appropriate manner. I accept that not all parents can be happy with our judgements but we will always work hard to ensure that parents are fully informed of the facts.”