Atticus & Jasper

"Thank you for coming in, Mr. Hunter. Jasper."

"It's all right. What's this about?"

"So, as I discussed on the phone, we've been having some... concerns about Jasper's behaviour at school, particularly with some of the other boys in his year. There have been fights. Unmarked absences. Repeated uniform and makeup violations. A real attitude..."

"Can I stop you there, Mr. Francis? Because I have some concerns of my own regarding the same things. I want to know why my son has been removed from classes. Why has he been coming home in tears with split lips and black eyes? Why does he have to put on concealer every morning to cover up his bruises? And why would he rather lock himself in the bathroom than come to school? Obviously, I've heard it from him, but I'd like to hear your professional assessment of the situation.”

"Mr. Hunter, your son has been starting fights with other pupils. Both verbal and physical."

"I... I only try to defend myself. They call me names. Every day—"

"It’s not appropriate to hit another pupil, Jasper. We have rules in place for when someone is being bullied."

"But no one does anything about it. I've reported their comments and threats so many times, and nothing gets done. It only gets worse."

"Well myself and Mr. Timpson in pastoral have spoken to the others involved in the matter, and we feel a lunchtime detention will suffice..."

“And have you had their parents up here to tell them that? Or just Jasper and me?"

"Mr Hunter, it's your son's behaviour we are talking about here, not anyone else's... I, for one, empathise wholeheartedly with Jasper's situation. But..."

"Bullshit."

"Mr. Hunter, we don't tolerate that language here."

"Oh, please. Stronger language has been aimed at my son daily."

"I want to assure you, we're taking the bullying allegations seriously. But that goes both ways. Jasper has been reported to have started these fights. So steps must be taken to..."

"Do you know what they call him?"

"I don't feel like that’s rele..."

"Faggot. Bender. Queer. Poof. Freak. Groomer. Paedo."

"Mr. Hunter—"

"You tell me—how, in good conscience, is anyone expected to stand back and do nothing as they're hurled that kind of abuse twenty-four-seven?"

"We haven't heard any of that going on. But we did see Jasper hit Henry Roberts during a chemistry class."

"After Henry spat at me and called me a 'disgusting faggot fairy bumboy.' Miss Fraser told him off for it. Well, sort of. She just said his name, followed by 'please don't."

"Well... Miss Fraser hasn't reported the incident."

"Of course she didn't. Why am I not surprised? She isn't going to report her failure to control a class. Yet I'm the problem? The disruptive little queer kid? Yeah, I can say it—I am gay. But no one else should be abusing me for that.”

"Jasper, this is the attitude we’ve been talking about in our little chats, isn't it?"

"No. I think my son has every right to express his upset and hurt at this school. For months, he's been putting up with this, and you've done nothing—"

"That's not true—"

"You've done nothing to nip this behaviour in the bud. What has any of this achieved? Jasper is a smart lad. A kind lad. A lad who deserves to thrive. And every day, this school sits back and does nothing as his light is constantly spat on and diminished. And you dare tell me that Jasper is the problem? No. I'm not having this. Get your bag, Jasper. We're leaving."

"We haven't finished..."

"No? And what are you going to do about it?"

... ... ...

“I thought not. Does no one in this school have a spine? Pathetic. Jasper will not be returning to this school."

"You can't do that. His exams and his grades will..."

"His exams and grades will be our prerogative from now on. Not yours. I'd rather teach him at home than have him continue with this shit. The headmaster will be hearing from me tomorrow morning. Don't expect to see Jasper in registration."