A TEENAGE girl suffered a fractured jaw and concussion in a violent assault in a school corridor.
The 14-year-old victim was talking to friends at Knox Academy, Haddington, when she was allegedly punched, grabbed and had her head repeatedly banged against lockers.
Police have launched an investigation into the incident, which happened on Monday, August 28.
The teenage victim’s parents said they were told by the school that the male pupil who carried out the school attack had “anger issues” and there was nothing they could do.
The girl, who we are not naming, told the Courier: “I was going about my normal day when at break time I was chatting to other pupils and was punched then slapped on the face, my head was banged from locker to locker and I slumped to the floor.
“I can’t remember much from this point on.I was checked over at school and put into a wheelchair as I was very unsteady on my feet.”
The incident left the victim off school for a week while her parents waited for a meeting with staff to discuss what had happened.
The teenager alleged that she had been the victim of bullying at the school for two years and claimed the assault was the latest in a long line of incidents which had not been dealt with properly by staff.
She said: “I feel the way the school has dealt with it has been appalling, they are full of promises to sort the bullying out and deal with the issues for me and it never helps.
“The thing that has appalled and hurt me is where is the support of the school?
“I now have severe anxiety and depression, leading me to not want to leave my house at times.”
The assault victim was sent by her local GP to Edinburgh Sick Kids Hospital, where she was told that she had concussion.
Her dad told the Courier that 10 days after the attack a visit to her dentist revealed that she also had a fracture to her jaw.
He said: “We were at the orthodontist and he said there was a fracture to her jaw.
“When we had a meeting with the school they told us the pupil who attacked our daughter had anger issues and she just had to get on with things.
“She was off for a week and very reluctant to go back to school.
“Our concern is for our daughter’s welfare: there are problems at that school and they need to be addressed. It is not good enough”
Knox Academy hit the headlines after another assault at the school left a female pupil scarred for life.
READ MORE: Teenager relives acid attack horror on national TV
Molly Young suffered serious burns to her legs after fellow pupil Emily Bowen poured drain cleaner into her viola case and it spilled on to her when she tried to take it off a shelf.
READ MORE: Girl jailed for 'wicked' acid attack at school
On the day that the latest attack took place it was revealed that Knox Academy’s headteacher Sarah Ingham had taken a “period of leave”.
The school is currently under the leadership of North Berwick High School’s headteacher Lauren Rodger, who is acting head.
READ MORE: Headteacher switch at high school
It has also seconded Claire Slowther, a depute head at Dunbar Grammar School, for additional support.
East Lothian Council said it was aware of an alleged incident which took place between two pupils at the school but could not comment as a police investigation was under way.
A spokesperson added: “The safety of our children and young people is always paramount and our schools have clear policies and procedures in place to ensure any allegations are dealt with appropriately.”
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Police in East Lothian received a report that a 14-year-old girl was the victim of an assault in Haddington on Monday, August 28, and enquiries into this are continuing.”
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