Fort Simpson (May 13/05) - Nine-year-old Shoghi Singh can clearly recall the worst of the painful beatings at the hands of his peers.

Joe Singh's sons, Andrew, left, and Shoghi have been bullied repeatedly since the family moved to Fort Simpson in July, 2004. Due in part to the beatings, the Singhs are leaving the community.

One day while on his way home from school, he said another boy whipped him in the upper arm and shoulder with a chain, leaving bruises.

Another time, an assailant landed a hard punch to his stomach.

"The wind just came out of me," Shoghi said as he stared straight ahead.

He's been jumped by three boys who called him names, punched him and kicked him, he said. He is at a loss to explain why.

"They just do it for fun, I think," the soft-spoken boy said.

Parents Joe and Maggie Singh were horrified to see their eldest son coming home with his lips bleeding and blood all over his face.

Because of the bullying, Shoghi, who is usually enthusiastic about his classes, wanted to stay home from school, Joe noted. The boy's grades started slipping.

Dad took action. He started by notifying Shoghi's teacher. When the bullying continued, he contacted the school's principal. Nevertheless, the violence escalated, so he called the police. The RCMP brought the parents together for a meeting. According to Joe, the assailants' parents were initially angry that the police became involved, but the face-to-face discussion proved fruitful and the bullying abated. For Shoghi, the assaults haven't recurred since January, Joe said.

Unfortunately, his younger son, seven-year-old Andrew, has been picked on since then. By Andrew's estimates, he's been attacked five times, mostly by older boys. He's also been taunted with names. He couldn't remember any with racial overtones.

"They hurt my feelings; sometimes they make me bleed," Andrew said of the bullies. "I get kicked and stuff, and tripped."

Terry Jaffray, principal of Bompas elementary school, said no children have been suspended for bullying this year, but have been in past years.

Jaffray said she wouldn't be comfortable suspending a student for a bullying incident on the way home. She said school staff are responsible for children arriving home safely, but said "there's no mechanism for us to ensure that."

She said staff generally monitor students on the school grounds until the bus departs at 3:50 p.m., 20 minutes after classes finish. Jaffray said she has been asked to intervene in situations where students have left the school grounds and returned only to get into an altercation after 4 p.m.

Time factor

"The time factor is not really clear," she said. "I think it's just something you have to keep working at - and telling kids your expectations and letting parents know that some of those behaviours aren't acceptable in school and really not what we want to see in our community... and we need a lot of support from home."

She noted the school launched its anti-bullying program in November - a program that has been used over the past four years. It's a small minority of children who are bullies, according to Jaffray, and she added that she has seen improvement in behaviour at the school overall.

Leaving town

Worried about their children's well-being, Joe and Maggie Singh have decided to leave town. By the end of the month, they will be bound for their new home in Kitimat, B.C.

The couple sold their house in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, last year after Joe was hired as the supervisor of the long-term care unit. They planned to stay in Fort Simpson for the long term, Joe said.

However, a lack of houses on the local market has been another detriment, he noted. He added that the absence of a year-round indoor swimming pool has also been a drawback for the family, who enjoyed swimming in Moose Jaw.

Fort Simpson does have a large gymnasium, but the time allotted for children should be extended, according to Joe. "I think things like that would help solve some of the problems," he suggested.

He also spoke highly of the Open Doors Society, a family resource centre that imparts parenting skills and encourages families to interact together.

As they ready for their move, the Singhs will reflect fondly on the friends they made and the community feasts in Fort Simpson, which Joe described as "wonderful."

Working with the elders

He said he thoroughly enjoyed working with the elders at the long-term care facility. As well, he said he's grateful that his children had a chance to experience the Dene culture and learn some of the Slavey language. They loved attending culture camp, he said.

But the bullies pose too much of a threat to bear. Shoghi and Andrew's physical wounds often heal quickly, but, Joe said, the psychological harm is more worrisome.

"It has quite a profound effect on them," he said.