“Crisis! Have you seen this?” Mrs Tshuma had her laptop open and the Head and Deputy crowded round.

On the screen was a Facebook page. “Oh Lord, no,” murmured Mr Dube when he saw the name: Antonia Kingwill Out #WestrayHighforGod#.

“Good on Andile Ngema for alerting me to this. And Antonia hasn’t been at school for two days. No wonder,” said Mrs Tshuma.

The Head, Mrs Mnisi, read a sample of the posts.

Atheists now then next thing their friends the gays and Satanists; abominations out!

Suka atheist! We don’t have atheists in our culture. We don’t even have a word for it!

Atheist = criminal. Dis opening da door 4 da Devil. Out!

“Horrible! What do these kids think will come of this? Fill me in – what started it?”

The two teachers described the event and Mr Dube updated them about the satanic printouts in the classroom. He shook his head.

“Damn! I may have contributed to all this nonsense. Remember, Mrs Tshuma? I was caught off guard and, in front of the class, I expressed disbelief, as if atheism was a bad thing to admit to. But let’s be honest, in this school most of us take a Christian world view for granted. But we’re supposed to allow freedom of religion. And that includes not believing.”

“Antonia’s father is a lawyer. He won’t like all this one bit if he finds out,” said Mrs Tshuma.

“You’re telling me. Nor will he like this,” said the Head, waving a letter. “They call themselves ‘Concerned Parents of Westray High’ and demand that ‘action be taken to remove or counsel the atheist Antonia Kingwill as her presence is upsetting our children and opening the way for the devil into the school’.”

Mrs Tshuma and the Deputy looked at her, eyebrows raised in alarm.

The Head was brisk: “Get this page taken down and counsel those kids. I must visit the Kingwills this evening, and ask Antonia about the printouts. Shame, she must have seen this page. I hope she’s OK. This is awful cyber-bullying, but I suspect the bullies ‘know not what they do’.”

*****

“That’s odd,” said Mrs Kingwill, putting down the phone. “Why would the Head want to see us urgently?” But as soon as she saw Antonia’s trembling lip, she knew it was serious.

As Antonia told the story – and watched her mother’s expression change from interested, to incredulous, to furious – she felt better. “So you don’t think I’m being pathetic not going to school?”

“Honey, you’re being attacked for your beliefs. It is not on. In fact, it’s illegal. My poor girl – what you have been through. Wait til your father hears about this!”

An hour later, mother and daughter were reassured and said goodbye to Mrs Mnisi. They were happy the school was acting on the problem fast. Mrs Mnisi was certain that Antonia’s shock and surprise at the printouts was genuine. And Antonia had at once told her about seeing Refiloe leaving their register classroom just before Magdalen and Theresa had discovered the satanic printouts. She even confessed that Refiloe and her were competing over Andile Ngema.

“So, Antonia, promise me you will come to school tomorrow? Right is on your side here. I will put Mrs Tshuma on gate duty, just in case of trouble,” Mrs Mnisi assured her.

“Yes, I promise,” Antonia said, and decided to take some action herself.

Hey Tanz; need u. Pls meet me outside skl
g8 early 7.15. hlp me face ‘devil squad’

course; luv you; b brave

Then, grinning, she downloaded a pentagram and attached it to a message to Refiloe.

Busted! U twisted freak.
U betta nt cum near me eva again.
Nd Andile wil neva go 4 sum1 mean as u!

*****

“Sorry to do this to you,” she said to Tanya, as they felt curious and judging eyes on them.

“Jeez – now I totes know what you mean,” said Tanya as they made their way to register class. “It’s like we’ve got leprosy. And, guess what? My mom got a call from another mom who had heard about it. She says to me, ‘Tanya, maybe you should choose your friends more wisely.’”

“What? The parents are talking about this now! Oh, Tans, what did you say?”

“I told her the truth. That because of all this I am having doubts and had been up half the night Googling atheism,” Tanya laughed. “You should’ve seen her face!”

Antonia frowned at her. “You are flippin’ cheeky.”

“Well, it’s true. I did do that. As your dad says: ‘One must have an open mind.’ But don’t worry, before I went to bed I prayed. And I shouted so Mom could hear: ‘And, God, please help my mom have an open mind.’”

“Tanya! What did she do?”

“Just said sarcastically: ‘Oh, have your little teenage rebellion then.’”

As they arrived at the classroom Antonia’s heart stopped: there were Sindi and Andile, also early, huddled at the back, talking softly to each other. Tanya flashed a concerned look at Antonia. “Since when are those two so friendly?”

“Oh, they’re probs discussing how to deal with the heathen – namely, me,” said Antonia light-heartedly, but inside she stung.

The two saw them, and Andile began texting.

Antonio’s phone beeped.

Hi – soz no contact;
Bit upset; sorting my response;
tlk soon

Her heart lifted, but then other kids started arriving, most giving embarrassed glances and sitting as far from her as they could. Antonia sat with her eyes down, miserable. Infamy. School scum. I am leaving this hellhole. I wanna be home-schooled, she thought.

Then a surprise message arrived, from Ngcebo.

Hey – I thnk u hnest nd brave.
Da FB fools shd be explld. Big ups.

Then another, from a girl she hardly knew: Lebo.

Soz some kids so dum
bout dis. I on your side.

Then another.

Just so you kno: I lost my faith.
Now agnostic. Feel you gal.

Antonia smiled faintly. She wasn’t such a freak after all.

But when would the one person she really wanted support and love from comfort her? Please, Andile, come see me at break. Please.

***

Tell us what you think: Is Antonia being bullied, or do the children have the right to express their views on Facebook?