Teen’s text message to friend
A YOUNG girl sat in her bathroom scared and crying after a fellow Elanora State High School student told her he was planning a schoolyard shooting.
The frightened teen texted a friend, saying “I’m going to die tomorrow” and wrote “I don’t know if he’s joking or not, he didn’t smile or laugh or anything”.
The threat quickly circulated among students on Tuesday afternoon.
A delay in the school communicating the threat to caregivers sparked fear and anger among parents, causing many to keep their children home yesterday.
The Bulletin posed a series of questions to the school and to the Department of Education but no responses were received.
Several parents took to social media on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, to seek clarity on the situation and to question the school’s protocol in the event of a threat.
A Facebook post appeared on the Elanora State High School page at 8.50am advising parents the school was aware of the incident and that there was “no risk to students”.
The alleged shooting threat at Elanora State High School has put the spotlight on what pupils and parents claim is a culture of bullying at Gold Coast schools.
It is believed the student who made the alleged threat, which police have deemed “not legitimate”, had been subject to bullying at the school.
“Even if the weren’t serious, comments you never know what could one parent said.
“Technology this generation.
“I’d heard he’d been bullied, I think it was a cry for help, but it’s raised a deeper issue for me.”
Another parent, who would not be named, said her daughter had been so severely bullied she had changed schools.
Just three weeks ago Pimpama State Secondary College announced it would ban the use of phones in a bid to stop cyber bullying.
Other schools have since followed, but parents are concerned it may not solve the problem.
“If it wasn’t for the phone my daughter had, the severe bullying she was subject to probably wouldn’t have been dealt with,” a mother told the Bulletin. “She recorded some of the conversations with the people bullying her. It was a traumatic experience, but it’s been dealt with now.”
The mother, who has happen,” screwed would not be named, said she also had a son who was bullied at Palm Beach Currumbin High.
“I didn’t know until he came home with a black eye one day,” the parent said.
“He’s still suffering severe anxiety and has been hospitalised, nearly 10 years since finishing school – he’s scarred from what happened.”
Police confirmed the matter had been investigated and no charges would be laid.
The alleged threat comes after detectives last week charged two teenage boys who allegedly made threats to an Arundel school via email.
One was charged with one count of using a carriage service to make a threat, harass or cause offence. The second boy has been charged with threatening violence.
A Facebook post on the Elanora State High School page confirmed the students involved in the latest incident would be supported through meetings with the guidance officer and parents.