I just read an article dated June 2, 2009, about the British Olympic diver Tom Daley being bullied by kids in school.
The abuse was apparently going on for some time with the school faculty and administration doing little to keep the situation under control. The quotes from his former school's Head suggest to me that she didn't recognize the scope of the bullying nor does she understand the social dynamics of the bully, the bullied, and the bystanders. Though, I'm not surprised. Most schools are inadequately trained to recognize and stop bullying behavior. I just feel sorry for Tom. To go from a lifetime high at the Olympics to being treated like the social pariah in a matter of days.
Pathetic.
You would think any school would be honored to have a real champion attend their campus and would do what they could to make him and all students safe while at school.
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Olympic diver Tom Daley started at a new school today after bullying forced the teenager to leave his former college.
The 15-year-old, who became one of Britain's youngest ever Olympians at the Beijing Games last year, spoke last month of being targeted by fellow pupils at Eggbuckland Community College.
Daley said: "I ignored the 'diver boy' or 'Speedo boy' comments when I came back from Beijing, hoping they would get fed up and stop. The trouble is they haven't, and it's even the younger kids who are joining in. I try not to go out during breaks if I can help it. I just stay in class."
His parents said that the bullying began when he started Year 10 in September, after returning from China.
Father Rob Daley said: "He has been tackled to the floor walking through the school field and in class they throw pens and pencils at him. Some have even threatened to break his legs. That was the last straw. The school has had plenty of opportunities to sort it out but it hasn't been done."
Rob Daley withdrew his son from the school in April before the FINA Grand Prix in Florida where Tom won a gold medal. The teenager has now enrolled at independent school Plymouth College, which boasts a number of national athletes including swimmer Cassie Patten, who won a bronze medal at the Beijing Games.
Daley said: "I'm really looking forward to going to Plymouth College and being with other young people who understand the pressures of high-level competition. The school has a lot of experience in putting together academic programmes for pupils like me so I won't miss out on my school work when I'm away."
Headmaster Dr Simon Wormleighton said they were "delighted" Tom had joined the college.
He said: "We will help Tom to keep on top of his studies so that he can reach the high academic standards of which he is capable while at the same time, fulfilling his extraordinary potential in the pool."
When Daley was taken out of Eggbuckland Community College the school's head, Katrina Borowski, said she was unaware of any bullying but admitted his "high profile" has led to a minority of students acting in an "immature way towards him".
