Bad Wolf
21-10-2005, 12:05
Girl slashed in classroom attack
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/40933000/jpg/_40933238_shanni203300.jpg Shanni's grandmother says the girl will be scarred for life
A 12-year-old girl was almost blinded after being slashed across the face by another pupil in a classroom attack.
Shanni Naylor needed 30 stitches in her face after the assault during an English lesson at Myrtle Springs School in Sheffield on Wednesday afternoon.
It is believed she had intervened to stop her assailant bullying another pupil the day before.
A 12-year-old girl was arrested in connection with the attack and released on police bail until December.
It is thought the attacker used a blade to slash her victim, but school officials denied a knife was involved.
Skin grafts
Shanni's grandmother Kathleen Naylor, 55, of Arbourthorne, said doctors had told the family that her granddaughter would be scarred for life.
One wound runs from the girl's hairline down across her left cheek, just missing her left eye. The other starts just below her right eye and runs down her right cheek.
"In time it might fade," said Mrs Naylor. "But Shanni may have to go back for operations for skin grafts.
"She was back to herself last night and making jokes with us by the side of the bed, but she does not realise yet what it entails at a later date."
Mrs Naylor said Shanni's father had been left very traumatised by the attack.
"It is horrendous what happened to Shanni," she said.
"I would not want it to happen to any other child in any other school. Somebody will end up more seriously hurt than she was."
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gifhttp://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/img/v3/start_quote_rb.gif We're absolutely determined that schools should be safe and secure places which are about teaching and learning http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/img/v3/end_quote_rb.gif
Schools minister Jacqui Smith
A spokesman for headteacher Ed Wydenbach said: "I can confirm there was an incident in school which was dealt with accordingly. A knife was not involved."
Details of the attack came as Education Secretary Ruth Kelly was expected to give backing to new rights for teachers to discipline and restrain unruly pupils.
Recommendations from a government task force have urged new laws to make parents take responsibility for the actions of their disruptive children.
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif
It is also expected that ministers will set out unambiguous rights for teachers to use classroom discipline. Asked about the Sheffield incident, schools minister Jacqui Smith said in an interview on GMTV: "It's terrible for Shanni and very bad for her family. "We're absolutely determined that schools should be safe and secure places which are about teaching and learning, where all children can feel confident and teachers are able to teach them."
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/40933000/jpg/_40933238_shanni203300.jpg Shanni's grandmother says the girl will be scarred for life
A 12-year-old girl was almost blinded after being slashed across the face by another pupil in a classroom attack.
Shanni Naylor needed 30 stitches in her face after the assault during an English lesson at Myrtle Springs School in Sheffield on Wednesday afternoon.
It is believed she had intervened to stop her assailant bullying another pupil the day before.
A 12-year-old girl was arrested in connection with the attack and released on police bail until December.
It is thought the attacker used a blade to slash her victim, but school officials denied a knife was involved.
Skin grafts
Shanni's grandmother Kathleen Naylor, 55, of Arbourthorne, said doctors had told the family that her granddaughter would be scarred for life.
One wound runs from the girl's hairline down across her left cheek, just missing her left eye. The other starts just below her right eye and runs down her right cheek.
"In time it might fade," said Mrs Naylor. "But Shanni may have to go back for operations for skin grafts.
"She was back to herself last night and making jokes with us by the side of the bed, but she does not realise yet what it entails at a later date."
Mrs Naylor said Shanni's father had been left very traumatised by the attack.
"It is horrendous what happened to Shanni," she said.
"I would not want it to happen to any other child in any other school. Somebody will end up more seriously hurt than she was."
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gifhttp://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/img/v3/start_quote_rb.gif We're absolutely determined that schools should be safe and secure places which are about teaching and learning http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/img/v3/end_quote_rb.gif
Schools minister Jacqui Smith
A spokesman for headteacher Ed Wydenbach said: "I can confirm there was an incident in school which was dealt with accordingly. A knife was not involved."
Details of the attack came as Education Secretary Ruth Kelly was expected to give backing to new rights for teachers to discipline and restrain unruly pupils.
Recommendations from a government task force have urged new laws to make parents take responsibility for the actions of their disruptive children.
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif
It is also expected that ministers will set out unambiguous rights for teachers to use classroom discipline. Asked about the Sheffield incident, schools minister Jacqui Smith said in an interview on GMTV: "It's terrible for Shanni and very bad for her family. "We're absolutely determined that schools should be safe and secure places which are about teaching and learning, where all children can feel confident and teachers are able to teach them."