Stephen Drill
"What we're seeing in the courts is just the tip of the iceberg, schools are not safe for some kids and we're seeing more serious cases.""The Education Department needs to take a more proactive role in nipping these things in the bud before bullying gets out of control," he said.
- Herald Sun
- August 16, 2011
Lawyers warn that schools are no longer safe for students. Herald Sun
THREE teenage schoolgirls are demanding the Education Department pay for loss of future wages because of the traumatic bullying they have experienced at public schools.
The cases are the first of a wave of legal action by bullying victims, with lawyers warning that schools are no longer safe for students.
A Wodonga teenager, distraught since a video of her being bashed at school was circulated between her classmates, is among those suing.
She has also been exposed to a torrent of abuse on her Facebook page.
The girl's mother said she was suing on her daughter's behalf because bullying in schools had to stop.
"We had to make a stand. We knew that my daughter was not the only victim," she said.
Kim Bainbridge, of Garden and Green Lawyers who filed two of the claims, said schools were failing to protect students.
"What we're seeing in the courts is just the tip of the iceberg, schools are not safe for some kids and we're seeing more serious cases.""The Education Department needs to take a more proactive role in nipping these things in the bud before bullying gets out of control," he said.
The second lawsuit involves a girl who attended Caroline Springs College and Kerang Technical High School.
Her scientific calculator was destroyed, red paint was poured over her clothes and pencil case, and her school books were torn to shreds.
Her scientific calculator was destroyed, red paint was poured over her clothes and pencil case, and her school books were torn to shreds.
The third victim, also at Kerang, was verbally abused, being called feral and a dog.
The Herald Sun has chosen not to name the three girls, who are each suing for unspecified damages, and have since moved to different schools.
It comes Aari van Rijthoven, 7, spent a night in hospital with concussion and have a CT scan after he was stomped by classmates.
His mother Kay, of Warrion near Colac, found out about the shocking incident when he came home from Alvie Consolidated School complaining of a headache.
"I was absolutely gutted, I couldn't believe it when he told me," Ms van Rijthoven said.
"The school sent him home on the bus. They didn't call me to say 'Your son's not well come and pick him up'."
She said the school had not suspended the bullies.
Alvie Consolidated School was unavailable for comment. Education Department spokesman David Grant said bullying was not tolerated in schools.
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