Disabled teen 'whipping girl' of bullies

Donna Munro, the mother of a 16-year-old girl with cerebral palsy, said she was forced to remove her daughter from Taieri College in July because the school failed to protect her from bullying.

"She was kicked, pushed over, they mimicked how she walked and talked, they threw food at her, she was ostracised - it all happened on a daily basis.

"It wasn't just one or two students. She seemed to be the whipping girl for a large part of the school population."

A perceived culture of bullying within Taieri College, in Mosgiel, will be discussed at the school's board of trustees meeting this week.

More parents concerned about bullying at the college have come forward and called for the school to take a tougher stance.

Board chairman Shane Boyle said he was surprised by the extent of the problem.

He said none of the issues raised by the ODT had come to the board's attention.

"I only know what's reported to us. I think we've got to investigate the issue further. We have to look at ourselves and see what else we can do to make the situation better. One of our missions is to create a safe environment - we have to do that."

• Bullying 'invading community' 

Ms Munro said the situation came to a head several times during the past two years, and a different group of pupils was "spoken to" by the school each time.

"I was in contact with the school on a regular basis to complain about the bullying. But no-one was suspended. The principal addressed school assemblies and told them to stop it, but nothing seemed to work."

She wanted the school to make bullies more accountable for their actions.

"Suspension would send a clear message that it won't be tolerated. At the moment, it looks like the problem is here to stay."

Another parent, who declined to be named, said her 14-year-old daughter tried to commit suicide last year after a 12-year-old Taieri College pupil threatened to rape and kill her.

The mother said she asked the college to expel the boy, but was told the school could not because some of the texting was done outside school hours.

The school did not seem to be interested in what had happened during school hours, she said.

"They also said my daughter hadn't been to see anyone at the college about the bullying, and yet here she was doing it now by wanting to commit suicide. She had had enough and was crying out for help," the woman said.

Like most bullied pupils, she did not feel she could go to anyone at the college for help for fear her tormentor would carry out his threats.

The mother notified the board of trustees but they wanted her complaint in writing.

"At the time, I didn't have the time or energy to be writing to them. I was putting that into my daughter. Why couldn't I just tell them over the phone? They need to be more flexible.

"We did go to the police and laid a complaint with them and they took it very seriously and dealt with the boy through youth aid."

She believed the school's stance on bullying was farcical.