Parents turn to court on bullying

A PHOENIX couple have obtained an urgent court interdict against three pupils from a local high school for allegedly assaulting and bullying their two teenage daughters since June.

In papers filed in the Durban High Court by attorney Rajesh Hiralall, the parents claimed their daughters, aged 16 and 14, were left traumatised by the assaults and were now afraid to attend school.

They further claimed the school had not done enough to protect their daughters from the attacks.

According to the interim order granted, the three pupils must restrain from assaulting the siblings, threatening them in any way, or having any contact with them, either directly or indirectly.

It further states the principal needs to take reasonable steps to protect the sisters from being assaulted, threatened or verbally abused by the three pupils while at school or while engaged in official school activities.

In the papers, their mother said that on June 19 her older daughter had had a fallout with one of the three pupils, who is in Grade 11.

On the same day, during a school lunch break, the pupil approached her younger daughter in an aggressive and confrontational tone of voice, saying she must tell her sister to “watch her back”.

The mother claims that after school the sisters were walking home and as they neared a shop, the three pupils confronted them.

“The Grade 11 pupil aggressively confronted her older daughter and grabbed her and they became involved in a physical tussle. The shop owner or manager appeared and told all the scholars involved to leave,” the papers state.

“My daughters continued to walk home, however the Grade 11 pupil continued to hurl verbal abuse at my older daughter, calling her a b****. My older daughter retaliated by also hurling verbal abuse to the pupil. The Grade 11 pupil then challenged my daughter to a physical fight, and she refused to get involved in a physical fight and was pushed to the ground by her.”

The mother claimed the Grade 11 pupil hit her older daughter numerous times with her open hands on her face and body.

“She managed to get on her feet and she defended herself by hitting her back with open hands. My daughter was again pushed to the ground and in the processes sustained abrasions on her elbows and legs. A friend came to her aid by hitting the Grade 11 pupil.

“My daughter managed to get on her feet and in order to defend herself she hit the Grade 11 pupil with a stone that she picked up.”

The mother further stated that several pupils became involved in the fracas and a motorist told the group to disperse.

“My daughters came home and told me what had happened. On July 19 I was present at the local surgery when I accidentally came across the Grade 11 pupil.

“I confronted her and I wanted to know why she was victimising and assaulting my daughter.

“She said my older daughter was to blame for the events. I could see she was becoming aggressive, so I walked away from her but she followed me into the surgery.”

On July 21, during the school holidays, this pupil and another sent threatening voice notes to her daughters and one of their friends, the mother said.

“I was very angry and perturbed as a result of her conduct, and I contacted her father and told him what had happened. They denied doing any wrong, and we left and went back home.”

The mother claimed that shortly after they arrived at their home, the Grade 11 pupil and her father came by.

“Her father threatened that he would ‘f*** you up one by one’. I said to him that he does not know what his daughter has done. They left without being violent.”

The mother claimed when the sisters returned to school on July 24, she and her husband met with the principal to discuss what had happened as they expected further trouble.

“The principal undertook to look into the matter and gave us the assurance that the safety of our daughters would be attended to.

“However, during a lunch break another argument ensued where the pupils attacked my daughter and a fight broke out.”

The mother claimed that while the fight was going on, two teachers were nearby and could see everything but did not intervene.

“The Grade 11 pupil pulled my older daughter’s hoodie over her head and kicked her repeatedly on her neck, back, head while she was struggling with another pupil. Another group of teachers then appeared and broke up the fight.”

The mother said on the same day she opened a case of assault against the three pupils.

“My daughters refused to attend school for fear that they may be attacked by the three pupils.

“My husband and I also believe that it is not safe for our children to go back to school.”

The respondents have until September 7 to file opposing papers.