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Vol 47, No 44
Colour run Sunnyhills School hosted its first ever Sunnyhills Shine Colour Run on Sunday. The PTA Fundraising event involved participants completing an obstacle course around the Suunhills Schools grounds while passing through several colour zones. Pictured: Teachers Susan Nelson, Justine Driver (Principal), Meaghan Cometti, Rachael Fullard & son Harry Sprosen. Time photo Wayne Martin
Claims of sexual assault, bullying at primary school By THERESE HENKIN
T
he parents of a student at a local primary school are upset that an alleged bullying and sexual assault incident involving some of its students has been “swept under the rug”. A mother, who wished to remain anonymous, says her son had recently started at Macleans Primary School in Bucklands Beach when he came to her with claims that he and some friends were being bullied by older students. “He told me that he and three friends had been approached by boys from the senior school and were threatened - ‘pull down
your pants or I’ll kill you’.” She says it then came out that her son’s friend had allegedly been touched inappropriately by one of the older students. When the victim’s mother was told, her son confirmed the sexual assault and the incident was reported to the police. “My son is very honest and good verbally so he was able to tell me about what has been happening at the school. The mother of the boy who was touched thanked me and said, ‘thank god your son arrived at this school when he did’,” she says. “We took all this information to the headmaster, horrified obviously, and all the school did was ask my son to identify the
older students involved, which he did. The headmaster spoke to the older boys and asked, ‘did you do it?’ and they said ‘no’ and the school considered the matter closed.” She says the bullying has continued even after being reported to the school. “The boys are even angrier now that they have been pointed out. It’s getting even worse.” She says one teacher said if her son was having problems at break times, he could come into the classroom to eat his lunch. “My [son] said, ‘well the teacher isn’t here at break time’. So I turned to her and said are you not here during break time? And she just said ‘that’s right I’m in the staffroom’.” She says she will be pulling her son out
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of the school but worries that the students who remain at the school will continue to be subjected to ongoing bullying. “The school is not taking it seriously enough. One of the parents went in and said, ‘children do kill themselves so this is very serious’ and she was told by headmaster that she was being dramatic.” Macleans Primary School principal, Brian Bayly says the school is taking the matter very seriously and values the welfare of its students above all else. “It is of the utmost importance we respect the privacy of our young people. We take the welfare of our students very seriously,” Bayly says. ➤ Turn to Page 3
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