PRESS INFORMATION ________________________________________________

After more than three years of legal proceedings, one of Britain's oldest public schools has now apologised to a former black pupil for the racial harassment and bullying he suffered at the school as a young teenager.

A case was brought by Hytham Hamad, through his lather Dr. Ahmed Haj Hamad, against Dame Allan's Boys School in Newcastle Upon Tyne, after it failed to take effective action over complaints of racial abuse and physical assaults.

Ilytham Hamad started experiencing racial abuse at the school in September 1993 when he was in the fourth form. Various incidents occurred where sixth form boys made racial comments to Hytham Hamad and these conflicts frequently turned into physical bullying of Hytham and his friends. A complaint was lodged by Hytham's parents but nothing was done about it. Hytham received liffle support from the teachers and on one occasion was physically assaulted by a teacher. Following the incident with the teacher, Hytham's parents arranged a meeting with the Headmaster.

At this meeting a further complaint was made by Hytham Hamad's parents about the racial and physical abuse which Hytham had been suffering that term. The Hamads believe that, again, no effective action was taken by the school to deal with the complaints. In January 1994 Hytham was suspended for fighting with a sixth fbrm boy who had earlier called him a ~black bastard". Following this incident, the school sent a letter to all parents which identified Hytham as a trouble maker and blamed him for causing all the problems between the fourth and sixth formers. The school also put pressure on Hytham's parents to withdraw him from the school.

When his parents made it clear that Hytham would stay, he was threatened with expulsion. His parents were left with no alternative than to withdraw him. The settlement includes £4,000 compensation to Hytham Hamad. Fhc school will also pay the legal costs of Dr. Hamad and the CRE amounting to £4,147.35. It has also been agreed that the school will work with the CRE to introduce a written equal opportunities policy for the school, and that a letter will be sent to all parents who currently have children at the school and parents of children who have left since the suspension, to advise them of the new equal opportunities policy.

This letter will also confirm that the policy was introduced as a result of Hytham's experience and will express the Board of Governor's deep regret at the distress caused to Hytham and his family by what happened to him at the time. In addition a personal letter of regret at shortcomings in the investigation of the matter by the school was sent from the Chair of Governors to Hytham and his parents.

Chairman of the CRL, Sir Herman Ouseley, said" We welcome the fact that the school has finally apologised to Hytham Hamad for the unacceptable way in which he has been treated. It is deplorable that in this day and age any pupil should have to face such appalling behaviour and receive so little support from an educational establishment Fhe Commission will be using this case in its promotional work to try and ensure that, in future, children do not suffer unfair racial discrimination at any stage of their education."

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