On the subject of violence in schools, the diary’s attention has been drawn to a disturbing enthusiasm on Internet sites (patron saint: Isidore of Seville) frequented by the country’s more delinquent pupils for teacher “whacking” games.
Our interest in the phenomenon was pricked by a relatively innocent game “Splat the Teacher” put together by students at Kilwinning Academy in Ayrshire at the expense of physics teacher Mr John Bavis (visit the pupil zone at www.kilwinningacademy.fsnet.co.uk).
We contacted Mr Bavis, whose internet ordeal involved being hit by virtual inkblots, and he seemed vaguely amused by his pupils’ ingenuity, but our attention soon strayed to a number of US-created games being swapped on British pupils’ websites.
If you want to be terrified - and have a strong stomach - visit “Pico - Fun Edutainment for Today’s Kids!”, which is on the web at www.newgrounds.compico.
