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Tom Daley, 14 Year Old Olympian, Bullied Out of School
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by Blaine Metzgar | April 24, 2009 at 11:33 am
1191 views | 2 Recommendations | 6 comments
Tom Daley, the 14 year-old Olympic diver from Britain has quit school after repeated bullying throughout the year.
Daley, who placed seventh in the 10 metre individual dive at the Beijing games, has faced bullying ranging from being "rugby-tackled" on the playground to being dubbed "Speedo boy" at his school, Eggbuckland Community College.
The abuse began when Tom returned from the Beijing Olympics last summer after finishing seventh in the men's 10m diving event. Tom said: "I have fans outside school but in school it's the opposite. They all hate me. It's even the little kids. They copy the older ones. They've been taking the mickey for ages but now spend most of their time throwing stuff at me. I try not to go out during breaks, I just stay in class."
The most recent incident was the last straw: an older boy cornered Daley saying, "How much are those legs worth? We're going to break your legs."
Eggbuckland Community College principal, Katrina Borowski said, "Tom's high profile led a minority of students to act in an immature way."
"I'd always ignored the 'diver boy' or 'Speedo boy' comments when I came back from Beijing last year, hoping they'd get fed up and stop," he said.
"The trouble is they haven't, and it's even the younger kids who are joining in. It's getting to the stage now where I think 'oh, to hell with it. I don't want to go back to school'."
The will-be 2012 medal hopeful already has top-tier, prestigious private schools competing for his attendance.
Rob and Debbie Daley are now in discussions about a place at Plymouth College, which is home to an elite swimming club and charges up to £18,000 a year.
Mr Daley, 38, told The Times, “They understand the requirements of elite athletes.
“Academically Tom’s doing very well and that’s why we need to concentrate on his education.
The college said they would offer Tom a “very significant scholarship” to enable him to attend.
Daley is scheduled to compete in Florida in the coming weeks.
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Blaine Metzgar
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (6)
at 11:40 on April 24th, 2009
These kids are just really jealous of his success and want to make him feel bad for it. I hope he goes on to win a gold medal and leaves all these losers behind him..
at 01:44 on May 31st, 2009
Right on Amy! Jealousy can be infectious and dangerous. Tom will be better off at a school that appreciates his talents and nurtures his abilities that will only get better. He needs more peers to support him
at 14:38 on April 26th, 2009
Please join my group on facebook in sopport of Tom Daley.
Cheers
Chris
at 14:44 on April 26th, 2009
the link to my group on facebook
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=75749924079#/group.php?gid=75749924079
at 13:56 on May 22nd, 2009
What kind of gutterscum is being raised in the UK these day? They should be proud to have him in their school! And of course the private schools would compete to have him, those administrators at the public school should be hung out to dry, what a disgrace! It's just makes me sick someone as beautiful as Tom Daley, and I'm not talking about his looks, should have his nose rubbed in such ugliness.
at 01:40 on May 31st, 2009
Leave them behind Tom and concentrate on your studies and your sport. You're a champion in the making if not already. I have admired your talent since you visited Australia. Your effort at Beijing was first class and up against some very stiff opposition. Keep going mate and I look forward to watching you at the London olympics. From an admirer down under.
Andrew