Hansard

I point members to my entry in the register of members’ interests. I am also a board member of the west of Scotland NSPCC.

I, too, thank both committees for bringing the debate to the chamber and the organisations that have contributed briefing papers for it.

I am grateful to have the opportunity to contribute to the debate, but I must be honest—I take no pleasure in having to speak on a topic that can be so destructive to the lives of our school pupils.

We hope that our schools afford each and every pupil the opportunity to be all that they want to be, to open up their eyes to possibilities and, as is often said, to ensure that their school days make up the very best years of their lives. It is a time when pupils are not only developing their academic skills, but learning social skills, interacting, developing relationships and building resilience—in other words, they are developing the basic academic and social skills that will define them into and throughout their adulthood.

The experiences of our school years stay with us throughout our lifetimes, so it is vital that pupils get as wide an opportunity as possible to participate, to integrate, to try, to fail, to bounce back, to succeed and to be as much a part of everyday school life as possible.

Here lies the crux of today’s debate: any prejudice, abuse or bullying—be it physical or mental—can have a devastating effect on the personal development process. We are talking about pupils withdrawing from the very opportunities and activities that can have such a positive impact on individual and collective development. We are talking about victims taking themselves out of the mainstream—out of harm’s way, as they see it, and being on the outside looking in.

As SAMH put it, good mental health is based on inclusivity and activity. We are talking about health and wellbeing, health inequalities, attainment and mental health. We are also talking about having very low self-esteem, self-loathing and ultimately seeking escape through self-destructive behaviour such as self-harming, overeating, drug and alcohol abuse or even suicide.

All those topics are familiar to and are often discussed in this chamber, but I have not heard them mentioned in the same breath as prejudice, abuse or bullying. I mention this only because when we are looking for solutions, it is important how we link all the issues and look at the wider implications. If we could really tackle abuse and prejudice at source, what impact could that have on our school pupils’ mental health, the strain on CAMHS referrals, on attainment, on physical activity uptake or even on obesity?

For someone of my generation, bullying was something that was done looking someone in the eye. On the whole, such abuse—which involves people sorting out issues with their fists or name calling—is being dealt with, although I imagine that we will all have had casework that shows that bullying is still swept under the carpet. That is why I am pleased by and welcome the assurances that the cabinet secretary gave about education and the taking of evidence-based action.

However, harassment and bullying have evolved. Cyberbullying is now a major concern. Somehow, that seems worse to me, because the fact that the victim remains unseen means that the impact of their behaviour is not witnessed by the perpetrator. Members will understand the cowardice of the keyboard bullies who would not say what they say online if they were looking their victim in the eye. In a way, that has removed a barrier to bullying. Therefore, we must continually evolve our approach. In that context, I want to mention the work of the NSPCC as a shining light in tackling abuse through education in primary schools. That is necessary, because children who are being abused often do not recognise that that is the case.

We have talked about the consequences of getting our approach wrong. I want to share a story with members that highlights the outcomes that can be achieved when we get it right. When my middle daughter was at primary school, one of her classmates was a very bright boy with a significant physical disability. Although he was confined to a motorised wheelchair, he received a mainstream education. The school and all the pupils went out of their way to make sure that he was included in just about everything that he could be. The kids absolutely loved him and, every time I spoke to him, he was bubbly, bright and full of enthusiasm. That was also the case at secondary school. I lost touch with what he was up to until earlier this year, when a team of MSPs was being ritually and systematically shown up and humbled at the Scottish powerchair football championships. When he bowled up to say hello, there was no mistaking who he was, because he looks virtually the same as he did when I first knew him. He proceeded to tell me about his desire to start his own business. I will not share that business idea with members in case someone who is watching the debate nicks it, because it is an absolute cracker. He is a very bright young man who is intent on making his mark. That is how it should be—that is the kind of outcome that being included can deliver.

Members can follow him on Facebook. He calls himself Weebodbighead. He is a remarkable young man who has a wicked sense of humour. The fact that many of his classmates are still in touch with him is an example of social media at its very best. That was all started by a school that was totally committed to treating him in the same way that it treated every other pupil—as an individual. That surely speaks to the very foundation of the getting it right for every child principle.

That will not necessarily take complicated interventions or legislation from this place. We need to ensure that our educators, through their education, have the tools at their disposal to be comfortable in teaching, integrating and including all pupils in all aspects of life. Education is the basis of many of the solutions that we seek, as every submission that we have received for the debate has highlighted. Let us educate prejudice, bullying and harassment out of our society.