A black student had to amputate his finger after being injured while fleeing school bullies.
Chantal Bailey says her son Rahim Bailey, 11, has experienced racial and physical violence since attending the Abertillery Learning Community in Wales in September 2021.
Ms Bailey complained to school staff on Monday after Rahim told her he was threatened with detention despite being the victim. She said she was reassured that the issue would be resolved by next morning.
However, Rahim was beaten by a group of children on a morning break on Tuesday, his mother said.
Desperate to escape the situation, he tried to flee the school grounds, but caught his finger in the fence, breaking his finger in two.
“Rahim was attacked and beaten by a group of children while he was at school. He was pushed to the ground and then repeatedly kicked, “said Ms. Bailey.
“Therefore, Rahim made a desperate attempt to leave the school grounds to escape the situation. I received a phone call from Rahim and then from the school informing me of the incident.
(Delivered)
School staff members informed Ms. Bailey that an ambulance would not arrive for two hours, so they were taken to the A&E on the school bus.
“Rahim, his little brother and I were taken to the minor injuries ward by the school bus, even though they knew he was seriously injured,” she added.
“We spent the next five hours waiting for an ambulance to take us to the place where he would be operated on, in Swansea, 50 miles from home and school.
“Over time, it has become more obvious that the possibility of my son losing his finger is real. Doctors then confirmed that this was possible. I had to explain this to him as he sat there in agony.
Despite six hours of surgery to try to save Rahim’s finger, he had to be amputated. Ms. Bailey is currently raising funds to purchase a personalized prosthetic finger for her son.
“Since the day of the incident, the Abertillery training community has not approached me to check on his well-being,” Ms Bailey said.
(Rahim Bailey)
A spokesman for the Abertillery Learning Community said: “We are currently working closely with Guent’s police and local authorities to establish the full details of the incident.
“The well-being and safety of our students and staff remain paramount. We will not comment further for now. “
Guent police have confirmed they are investigating the incident.
“Several agencies have met and we are working with the school as part of our ongoing inquiries,” a spokesman told The Independent.
A spokesman for the Welsh Government said: “We condemn harassment and racial harassment in any form and expect the allegations and incidents of harassment and racism to be fully investigated by schools with appropriate action taken to address the issue and prevent further incidents.
“We understand that this incident is being investigated by the school and local authorities and that Gwent’s police are involved and investigating. As such, it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage. “
Add Comment