Comment: Mrs Baynes' attitude

Part of your exam set asks you to comment on the headmistress’s way of handling the conflict in “You can’t touch me” by Blake Morrison.

Firstly, note that all we know about the woman’s outer characterisation is that she is the headmistress of a school and wear glasses. 

Her inner characterisation is revealed only through the way she handles the conflict between Ian and Campbell and his parents.

Initially, when Ian brings Campbell in the office for bullying another boy, the woman listens to Ian first, but then has a conversation alone with the boy, hinting at the fact that she sides with the boy:

“Thank you, Mr Goade. Campbell and I will have a quiet chat about this.”
She had her arm round Campbell’s shoulder by then. In her position, I too might have comforted a crying child. (ll. 71-73)

Also, though she is clearly aware Ian has made a professional mistake by laying his hands on the boy, she tries to point this out to the teacher in a rather indirect way: “It seems to me you had several. You...