I have followed this with half an eye for the past couple of days and it is difficult for me to gauge, yet, as to whether there really is problem at Herlufsholm or whether there have been some isolated incidents that may have been - shall we say - blown up a bit.
It is of course a bad thing that a rape took place. On the other hand the issue was reported and the perpetrator arrested and sentenced. So did the school do the right thing? I.e. act upon being informed, investigating and reporting the matter to the police. Or did it try to cover it up?
Could a rape like that, basically an older pupil taking advantage of a younger pupil, with the younger pupil being too scared/intimidated/unable/unwilling to resist, take place at other schools? Like continuation schools.
The answer must be yes.
I think a problem with a boarding school of any kind is that either you belong or you don't. If you don't you are vulnerable and at a higher risk of being subjected to various forms of bullying and/or being ostracized.
Because you can't get away from the "annoying idiot" - alternatively you can't get away from the bullies.
A boarding school where the pupils are based 24/7 for extended periods usually also has an internal system of dealing with non-conformists pupils.
So are we talking about a couple of spoiled brats who didn't know how to behave and got a rough lesson by their fellow pupils, only to run home and tell momma?
Or are we talking about a couple of weak, and perhaps awkward pupils who didn't fit into the community and was set upon by other pupils. I.e. systematically bullied.
Or is the truth that it's a mix of both of the above?
What is the most important thing in my eyes is:
How does the schools deal with problems among the pupils.
Because problems, also serious problems, will take place at even the best school in the world.
That IMO is what decides whether a school is good or bad.
Because it
is an issue for M&F.
Especially for Mary. It will be hard for her to justify sending her own children to a school where there is a history of bullying.
You can't spin it by saying: There is no problem with bullying at Herlufsholm. It is merely a question of 467 individual cases of non-social behavior at Herlufsholm.
- If you get my meaning.
So I will be looking very much forward to the school presenting its case.