The Struggles of our children: Gang violence and bullying in schools
Bullying inside and outside school has become rife in areas such as Lavender Hill.
Image: Supplied
Clive Jacobs, Lavender Hill
What has become of our children? Or should I ask, where did it all go wrong? Our communities are crying as our children continue to fall into ongoing gang wars and turf conflicts among those who seek control.
These ongoing fights filter down into many other daily concerns on school grounds, in toilets, and other unattended, unmanned areas where bullying thrives. Threats and demands are made by groups of pupils, often targeting new Grade 8 learners.
These learners find it extremely difficult to adjust to an environment where they must either join the bullies or become victims. If they refuse, they are often forced to bring money to school to pay off these bullies. I call them criminals.
Most of the physical confrontations involve the girl-child. Female learners often prey on Grade 8 learners, who fear these bigger, more aggressive girls in more ways than one. Bullying frequently occurs in toilets, behind closed doors, where there is no security or teacher presence to protect these first-year learners. To avoid being targeted, both boys and girls are forced to “pay taxes.”
The teaching profession is struggling to maintain control due to the rise of fierce and aggressive learners, many of whom are female. Boys tend to suffer in silence and endure punishment or bullying, but girls often stay absent due to overwhelming pressure.
This is how we end up with female school dropouts.
Many children do not confide in their parents until it is too late - sometimes only after attempting to take their own lives or seeking attention from older males who then exploit them.
Boys, on the other hand, are targeted at school to join gangs out of fear of being attacked or stabbed. When the pressure becomes too much, they succumb, join gangs, or eventually drop out. When parents realise their child is no longer attending school, these children are labeled as failures - which is deeply unfair. A child’s journey and destiny begin at school.
Schools have many isolated spaces where your son or daughter can become trapped. Teachers remind us that they are not security officers but educators, often working in overcrowded classrooms.
Do not forget to ask your child how school was today.
They may be waiting for the chance to tell you what they are facing.
Find Southern Mail on TikTok and Instagram @ccmonlineza