Cases of bullying and physical assault have shot up in Balearic schools since the start of the current term. Rafel Covas, who is regional coordinator for the police tutors' service, has called an extraordinary meeting of area coordinators to analyse the situation and explore possible causes.
"While we await confirmation of how many of the reports are indeed bullying cases, our feeling is that there has been a very problematic start to the school year in terms of violence and harassment. Many schools tell us it’s been difficult. We don’t know what happened this summer, but we have more aggressive and violent boys and girls."
This general and concerning trend has been highlighted by a specific case at a school in Calvia, where four Baccalaureate students have been suspended for homophobic bullying. It is a case said to be particularly unusual in that bullying by students of this age group - they are almost of legal age - is rare. It mostly occurs among 11 to 12-year-olds.
There are two municipalities where the problem is particularly striking; police tutors have had to deal with more incidents in two months than in the entire previous school year. The ministry of education has a body known as Convivèxit, which handles suspected cases. There were 887 cases in 2023/2024, of which only some 20% were confirmed.
Covas adds that the problem isn't confined to schools. The police tutors have been receiving increasing numbers of reports of bullying in sports, especially football but also other team sports. The victims are always the same. He notes that this doesn't happen with tennis, for example.
He expresses particular concern about the increase of incidents in primary schools. "The problems have skyrocketed. These used to be peaceful schools. Now we’re faced with serious conflicts and parents who don't help at all. Quite the opposite, they overprotect their children and defend things that are indefensible. Parents of the aggressors, instead of siding with the school, immediately call a lawyer. What are we teaching our children?"