Pupils removed from school after claims of bullying
ALLEGATIONS of bullying, including boys being forced to masturbate on camera, have surfaced at a Kwazulu-natal Midlands school.
Weston Agricultural College models itself on “sound Christian principles, good discipline, a hard-working ethos, and practical hands-on farming skills”. But in the wake of alleged bullying incidents, parents of two pupils recently removed their sons from the school.
One of the boys was allegedly diagnosed as suicidal by a psychiatrist who treated the 15-year-old for trauma after he had been allegedly assaulted by an older boy.
“I was left with no option but to remove him from the school,” said the mother of the boy, who is now at another school.
Principal Douglas Robertson said he was not authorised to speak to the media as Weston was a government school.
The KZN Department of Education has confirmed that bullying allegations are being investigated.
Another mother said she had removed her son from the school after he had been bullied by older pupils, who allegedly pinned him against a wall and assaulted him.
Both mothers said they had approached the principal and asked him to intervene.
“He said he would investigate and resolve the situation, but no feedback was given. After spending an arm and a leg to send my son to the school, I took the decision to remove him,” one said.
The mothers, who said they had visited the school and spoken to other parents, said they had first-hand accounts from their sons and other pupils about some of the things that had been going on.
“We learnt that a group of boys had been suspended because they forced a pupil to masturbate in front of them, then recorded a video of the incident and threatened to post it on social media,” said one of the mothers.
“One pupil was hit on the head with a buckle and had to receive medical treatment.”
In confirming that the Department of Education was investigating, spokesperson Muzi Mahlambi said the department had also looked into conduct at the school last year after a group of pupils allegedly killed goats and destroyed a school garden.
The department had intervened and the pupils were suspended, Mahlambi said.
The Education Department’s stance on bullying was clear, he said.
“Bullying is not allowed at our schools, but unfortunately it is something the department does not have full control of.
“The bullies and the victims come from families. Those parents should take responsibility for the actions of their children. Some children are innocent and well-behaved at home but act like monsters when they get to school.”
When the department wanted to take action against bullies, parents were quick to defend their children, he said.
“There needs to be mutual understanding that we can only deal with the problem if we admit that a child is wrong and look at ways to deal with it together.”
nabeelah.shaikh@inl.co.za