Yasmin Alibhai-Brown: A culture of bullying blights our schools

Shanni Taylor, only 13, once had a young, fresh face. Indelible, long slashes now run from her forehead, interrupted by an uncomprehending eye, then carry on over her cheeks. You wonder how the eye was not sliced in two. The scars are livid memories of a frenzied attack on her by another young girl, a fellow pupil who cannot be named for legal reasons. My daughter is the same age. If her life was cut up like this, I would want to both kill and die. The assailant was a Somali child, who arrived here when she was 10, an orphan, with an IQ of 45. It all happened at the Myrtle Springs secondary school, in Sheffield, last autumn.

The attacker, let's call her A, was not given a custodial sentence because of her age, though the judge, Alan Goldsack, clearly would have preferred her behind bars. "You walked up to another girl in your class and, under the nose of your teacher, slashed the girl three times in the face," he said. Obviously A committed a terrible crime and needs to be punished.

However, this story becomes more complicated. In court, it was claimed Shanni was a bully and that the Somali girl was badly provoked. But Shanni denied the accusation, and said she had tried to befriend A. The pair had fought before, with each side accusing the other of being the aggressor. Much of this, it now appears, happened under the noses of teachers who seem to me either a bunch of useless cowards or abject jobsworths. One said in court she witnessed A being hit repeatedly by Shanni, who was acting "like a boxer". A's head was banged against walls and she was racially abused. A's testimony included these words: "They sweared at me, punched me, they won't be my friend."

The court was informed that in Somalia, women customarily settle disputes by inflicting minor scratches on each other's faces. The court was not told that some pupils in British schools attack children of dark skins, especially if they are asylum seekers. Or, even worse, that when children abuse and beat up each other, teachers hum loudly and pretend it is not happening.

I have been observing playground behaviour in some schools for research purposes. I watch children being cruel without any adult taking them in hand. In one playground, a small white boy with a slight limp was knocked down, then kicked by two black boys. I intervened and the pairstopped the attack, looking ashamed. A teacher ticked me off for interfering, then explained the school often ignored such behaviour for fear of litigation and/or reprisals.

Shanni's parents are right to take civil action against Myrtle Springs for failing in its duty of care. The school should have safeguarded Shanni better, and it should have taught pupils about prejudice. Sadly A has no parents to ask why the child was not given any protection or help manage her aggression before she let rip. The extraordinary Channel 4 programme, My New Home, introduced us to some selected children just settling into Britain. They will be followed for five years to see how they fare. Some will undoubtedly end up as bitter as A because they are entering this country at a time of rising tribalism and bigotry, and our schools have become cauldrons boiling up with intolerable emotions.

The bookBullycide, by Neil Marr and Tim Field, reveals the extent of childhood bullying and the despair that pushes British kids to attempt suicides - 19,000 every year. All schools write virtuous policies, but few put their fine intentions into practice. On Bully OnLine, set up to help victims of workplace and school bullying, teachers make the largest number of enquiries - many complaining of coercion by heads. A culture of intimidation runs through too many educational establishments, perhaps because tough talk and behaviour are thought to prepare kids and adults for a tough life. The result of this Darwinian imperative is a wounded Shanni and a raging Somali child, and thousands more like them. And schools, take note: it is going to get unimaginably worse.

My gloom at Billie's departure

Confession: I am more gloomy about the disappearance of Billie Piper, left, from Doctor Who than England's defeat in Germany. On Saturday, she will be gone from the series, and her fans will miss her golden, vivacious presence. What a fine Englishwoman is this gifted singer, actor and daughter of Swindon. She is attractive, without being preened and polished. She flew close to the sun on wings of fame much too young, fell into self abuse, married Chris Evans, an infantile delinquent. Piper says she doesn't want any of his millions. She is a feminist blonde, though she would not recognise the label. She is determined to make it on her terms; she warmly indulges the rich man who was her husband. Raise a glass to this sassy lass, who really is worth it.

* No. Not Cadbury's, they could never have contaminated products, never. All my life, like many ex-colonials, these chocs have sweetened our lives and rotted our teeth.

Our mums really believed Cadbury's Dairy Milk chocolate contained a glass and a half of pure milk. Some melted the bars to feed spoonfuls to infants who refused milk bottles. No wonder we grew up to believe Cadbury's made the best chocolate in the world. Poncy Belgian chocsdon't come close, though I pretend to love them when I am given gift boxes by middle-class sophisticates.

Today, the brand is blighted. I have had to throw away my cache. This reputable company failed to tell long loyal customers about their salmonella problems. I am probably going to die soon. Love has been betrayed; trust shredded. I wonder about those glasses of full cream milk too?

y.alibhai-brown@independent.co.uk