Keira High School is believed to have suspended up to 20 students for their involvement in a fight filmed and shared by students.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Mercury understands the ‘’pre-organised fight’’ between two Year 9 students happened after school on Monday afternoon.
The ‘’violent fight’’ at the nearby bus stop attracted a large crowd of up to 30 students, many of whom are understood to have captured the ‘’vicious fight’’ on their mobile phones.
Some also are believed to have shared the shocking footage, prompting the school to act swiftly and suspend a ‘’number of students’’.
Actually she couldn’t watch it because the fight became quite violent.
- Nik Mihajlovic
A Department of Education spokesman said ‘’after reviewing footage and interviewing a number of people who were either involved or witnessed the incident, the school suspended a number of students either directly involved, or involved in filming the event’’.
‘’The school, and the Department of Education, does not condone any kind of violence or anti-social behaviour, and this includes the filming and distribution of video of incidents.’’
Concerned parent Nik Mihajlovic was seething his ‘’naive’’ 14-year-old daughter was suspended for filming the fight.
‘’It was a stupid and silly thing to do and she regretted it immediately,’’ Mr Mihajlovic said.
‘’She did not post or share the footage and deleted it a short time later. Actually she couldn’t watch it because the fight became quite violent.’’
Mr Mihajlovic’s wife has appealed the decision to suspend her daughter for three days, with the Department of Education.
The pair will also meet and discuss the incident and ‘’protocols around looking at students’ phones’’ with the school principal on Friday.
‘’I’m not sure the punishment fits the crime,’’ Mr Mihajlovic said.
‘’Teenagers and society in general unfortunately nowadays film just about everything if it’s something unusual. Her actions were silly and stupid but she didn’t incite the violence.
‘’I think it is a bit harsh to punish someone with three days suspension for an act of stupidity. I believe about 15 to 20 students copped similar punishments as well. Surely they could have given the students detention and possibly looked at educating students.’’
The Department said the school acted according to its Student Welfare and Discipline Policy in disciplining students.
‘’Students at Keira High School are expected to display the highest standard of behaviour both inside and outside of school grounds, and the school works in partnership with parents and carers to teach and promote socially responsible behaviour among students,’’ the spokesman said.
