Oh no.... Please.... not again....

I got the phone call today that every mother dreads...

"Mrs Walker? This is Ms Taylorson. Vinnie has been involved in an incident of bullying in school..." Agonising pause... "and he was the victim..."

Well, of course he was - he's never gonna be the perp is he?

He's in year 10 - managed to get through year nine without incident.. but this is the call I've dreaded since he left middle school - where some of you will remember he was tortured on a daily basis... and his lower school which was no better - and in fact, where we moved him from at the end of year 2 because of the very same thing.

His tutor was beside herself... 'gutted' was her term.

She loves Vin - they all do - coz he's a great kid. He's respectful, decent, kind, warm and funny. Too witty for the bullies who hate his clever way with words and his brain, but also quirky and zany and full of personality which makes him both popular and hated at the same time.

I knew something was amiss... he'd come home with hurts two days running and something about the way he reported the incidents rang alarm bells. We asked, of course... he's 14... what more can you do? But a concerned buddy told today, and tried to get Vin to share - and though reluctant; eventually he opened up to a TA. Thank God for TA's eh?

His tutor is really lovely; she was genuinely heartbroken and wanted to let me know asap but unfortunately, she got the brunt, and I'm terribly ashamed right now. I did apologise for my reaction... and she said she has teenage sons herself and would be no different in my place, but I mean to make amends next week. Heaven knows the school has too few good teachers now - one must always remember never to shoot the messenger,eh?

I later spoke to the new head - drafted in from a tough inner city school as we were placed on special measures last term. Poor guy - he's had a very eventful 11 days in post I gather. He's a scouse - and a hard man, and means to sort this place out and I have every confidence in him and told him so. My boy is concerned however, about repercussions, and doesn't want to be seen as a snitch and lose respect from the older kids. But the thing is, this was premeditated - happy slapping - and I want to kill the little shit that filmed it more than i want to kill the guy who actually did the crime.

I am furious that a 6th former - yes, a 6th former - would hurt and humiliate a kid, barely fourteen.. who looks up to them like they're special... for a fecking laugh. For sport. For fun.

GOD! I am wild.

But I'll give the head a chance to get it right... not for this little snot's sake - but for my son's. And for the new headmaster who so badly needs our support in tackling this chaotic hell hole that calls itself a school.