PM's wife crusades against bullies

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PM’s wife crusades against bullies

Summary

The article tells the story of how , the mother to 15-year-old Emma, wrote a letter to the Prime Minister’s wife, Cherie Booth, explaining how bullying almost claimed her daughter’s life. Emma was bullied almost every day which made her attempt to take her own life by taking an overdose. The bullying was in the form of death threats, physical abuse and insults. Oakley’s letter moved the Prime Minister’s wife who entered into the debate by writing an article and thereby causing awareness to the problem. Emma’s parents’ didn’t see the signs that their daughter was being bullied, signs such as: that she stayed away from school, that she was argumentative towards them and that she withdrew into herself. The extent of the bullying first dawned on the parents when she was found collapsed on the street, having taken too many painkillers. Oakley then went to the school with the problem, but was only met with complacency. The school didn’t want to admit they had a problem with bullying and the only advice they could give, was that Emma moved to another school.

Facts about the text

Type of text: News paper article

When: 11 May 2002 (still relevant today)

Sender: The broadsheet news paper ‘The Observer’, Journalist Kamal Ahmed

Receiver: readers of ‘The Observer’ (British upper- and middleclass)

Lay out: two columns and split into sections

Message/intention
• The main message/intention is to inform its readers about the rising problem of bullying and the

consequences it can have on those being bullied.

• The article is trying to create awareness and raise a debate about bullying, and what role the schools have when children are being bullied.

• Get parents to think whether their own children are bullies or being bullied themselves.

Key people in the article

STX 3.g

• Mother to 15-year-old Emma (Emma not her real name).

• Has written a letter to the Prime Minister’s wife, Cherie Booth, explaining her story.

• Feels like she has left her daughter down, because she didn’t see the signs of her being bullied.

• Knew something was wrong, but didn’t know what.

• Didn’t realize the extent of the problem until Emma took an overdose.

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• Has started a self-help group called ‘Bully Watch’.

• Feels that the school isn’t accepting their part of the responsibility.

Emma Oakley

• 15-years-old

• Refused to take drugs which started the bullying.

• Bullying in the form of: death threats (text messaging), verbal abuse, physical abuse (pushed, shoved).

• Tries to commit suicide by taking too many pills.

Cherie Booth

• Prime Minister’s wife.

• Usually stays out of the public debate, but has become so angry after having read Julie’s letter that she has written an article that puts focus on the problem of bullying.

Argumentation of the article

• The journalist uses a personal account (Oakley’s story) in order to create identification among the readers.

• The fact that the Prime Minister’s wife is involved in the debate and has given her opinion on the matter strengthens the argumentation and the reliability of the article.

• Quotes are used to support the story and make it more interesting:

- “You feel like you have let them down.”

- “As a parent you are supposed to protect your children.”

- “Aren’t you on the slab yet?”

- I thought at first it was the drugs but then I had an instinct that she had tried to kill herself.”

- Etc.

Text and theme

• Growing up – The article shows what consequences bullying can lead to. It explains the signs parents can use to tell whether their children are being bullied and it describes what grim scenarios bullying can lead to.

• Suicide – The article deals with how bullying can lead to suicide. It points out what consequences bullying may have.

• Bullying – See above

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Glossary for the text

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Blighted ødelagt extent omfang school bullying mobning i skolen dawn gå op for abuse mishandling preceding forudgående insult fornærmelse paracetamol smertestillende occurence hændelse prescription painkillers receptpligtig miss signs være uopmærksom på smertestillende piller argumentative stridslysten comfort trøste torment pinsel not to sleep a wink ikke lukke et øje shove skubbe complacency selvtilfredshed slab stålbordet i lighuset tackle … head on gøre noget ved