[Wise]

It doesn't matter whether its a private school or a public school. Kids will get bullied, its human nature to pick on one anothers weaknesses. Some kids identify what they see as a weakness in another and exploit that to make themselves feel better about something in their own lives. Thats how humans have developed.

To put it at a more basic level, its why puppies fight and wrestle in the litter with each other. Yes its playing, but they're trying to also show who's the dominant puppy.

The school systems can only do what is within their power to stop it and some individual schools are a lot better at it then others. That doesn't mean that it won't happen anywhere else.

I think the best thing you can do is to teach your boy self confidence. Until he learns that, the sooner he can either stand up to them or see them for what they really are - just scared little kids trying to prove they're the dominant one of the group. The sooner he learns this the better off he will be - not just now, but for the rest of his life.

From the sound of the parents I don't think they will have instilled moral value into their child, much less a sense of wrong and right. I think working with them on the problem is a lost cause, but you still can't take matters in to your own hands or you're showing everyone you're no better then them.

Self confidence is the key. It will make him a stronger person and give him inner strength that a lot of other kids his age can't have. Whether he gets this from sport, martial arts, baking...it doesn't matter. Just get him doing something to build it and he will grow from there.