Thread: Sydney : Video of tables turning on bully sounds alarm bells

Video of tables turning on bully sounds alarm bells
Georgina Robinson and Ben Grubb
March 15, 2011

It lasts just 41 seconds but is a distressing insight into schoolyard and cyber bullying in Sydney.

A slightly-built 12-year-old Year 7 student antagonises a larger 16-year-old boy from Year 10, punching him in the face as a friend records it on his mobile phone and at least four other students watch.

The fight does not go according to plan. The larger boy appears to snap.

He grabs the other boy, picks him up with two hands and throws him head-first on to the concrete. A "crack" sounds as the 12-year-old's ankle connects with a timber bench.

The school involved, Chifley College's Dunheved Campus at St Marys North, has suspended both students and called police after footage of the fight, which took place on school grounds about 10.30am yesterday, was aired on a television station.

In three days' time it is the National Day of Action Against Bullying and Violence.

The video, meanwhile, was posted on Facebook and was going viral early today. It was removed by Facebook and YouTube just before 3pm but is still available on other sites, in a modified format.

Commenters on Facebook numbered in their hundreds and sided overwhelmingly with the older boy.

"I think it's great that he's standing up for himself. It just sucks that schools don't even try and stop bullying," said one. "This kid is my hero," said another.

One said they knew the older boy personally and that he had been a victim for some time.

"I find it disgusting that he was suspended for it," they said. "I understand why he was but he still shouldn't [have] been."

Their triumphant response to the older boy's retaliation surprised seasoned experts.

"Our first reaction is obviously one of distress. That is a very distressing video for a number of reasons," John Dalgleish, head of research at Kids Helpline and Boys Town, says.

"Often children ... will blame themselves for actions done towards them. One of the first things we do at Kids Helpline is talk that through with young people and give a very strong message saying no child ever deserves or should be subject to bullying."

It is understood the Year 10 student is a victim of repeated bullying at Chifley College's Dunheved Campus, a middle school in a disadvantaged part of western Sydney.

But police and bullying experts are concerned by the video's publication on Facebook and the overwhelmingly positive reaction to the older boy's retaliation against his attacker.

"We don't believe that violence is ever the answer," Mr Dalgleish says. "We believe there are other ways that children can manage this."

Just one student out of the five observable, an older girl, steps in to stop the situation escalating.

She physically stops a friend of the younger boy from going after the older boy, telling him to "back off".

"The longer term way is about developing better relationships between kids in the school, that will then empower young people to not be passive bystanders when these acts occur but to stand up and say 'this is wrong'," Mr Dalgleish says.

"The short term solution is to have individual counselling with each of the children."

St Marys Police duty officer Inspector Jason Green said posting the video had the effect of glorifying violence in schools.

"...Whether it causes other incidents or not I don't know but it seems to be a trend of late," Inspector Green said.

"It may incite other violence but that's something that we can't comment on."

Police are trying today to speak to the parents of both boys.

As to what punishment would be handed out, Inspector Green said any action would be in accordance with "juvenile procedures".

The school would also deal with the boys.

"But we have to deal with them as there still is some criminality with regards to their actions," he said.

Social media pundits said the proliferation of mobile phone video would expose the magnitude and reach of cyber bullying.

"The education system needs to stay up to speed on how they deal with these issues," says Julian Cole, digital strategist at social media agency The Conscience Organisation.

He said that although there had been support for cyber bullying from government and online organisations, it was only "when these grass roots movements occur when we see the real change occur, with governments giving more support to the issue".

"Where we used to get people to sign petitions people are now joining Facebook Pages/Groups to show their support for these issues," Mr Cole says.

smh.com.au

Link to Vid : Video - Violent vision of school yard bullying - The Sydney Morning Herald

Give the big one a green!

From the video, it certainly looks like the little shit got what he deserved.

Originally Posted by Davis Knowlton

From the video, it certainly looks like the little shit got what he deserved.

If anyone was asking for it that little prick was.

Real life WWF, serves the little fucker right.

I like the way his lanky mate who went to step in got pushed back by a girl, poster boys for the Aussies.

Why suspend the big lad? he was only defending himself

What gets me is " police and bullying experts are concerned by the overwhelmingly positive reaction to the older boy's retaliation against his attacker."
Why? if bullies felt the pressure maybe they wouldn't bully.
Where the hell do these 'experts' come from?
Don't they know no one likes a bully?
maybe they'll make the bigger kid apologize to the bully for making him feel bad.
The little fucker hit him 3 times before he retaliated.
This PC crap makes my blood boil.

Those so called 'experts' in the OP need a smack in the mouth for talking so much bollocks.

Originally Posted by Moonraker

Why suspend the big lad? he was only defending himself

Agreed. In fact he showed a lot of restraint in letting the other kid have a few free pops first. Surely, if confronted by bullys a kid has a right to defend himself. What else could he do , politely ask the assailant to stop ? Scream for help from a teacher ? Call the police ?

Justice was done and the bully learnt a lesson. Whole story blown out of proportion by the media IMO.

karma. fuck the little prick.

Confusing English from the Australian journalist -
he got paid to write this sentence ?
''Video of tables turning on bully sounds alarm bells''


The youtube posters '' bully gets owned by big kid ''- is more like it

Ha ha , the big kid does well once he gets warmed up , first blocks a punch , the executes a textbook wrestling move -a pile driver , I think it's called .

That's what i'm talking about. Well done that kid!

seeing that smart little shit hobbling away cheered me up no end; he'll have been bloody sore the next day.
Big guy was very restrained he could well have gone for the kill.

That cocky little dancing faggott won't be bullying anyone for some time and rightfully so!

The big lad did nothing wrong other than show restraint and then defend himself.

As usual the many social workers / libturds (who are bleeding money from the public purse) want to jump on this bandwagon with their theories and PC clap trap, they need a f*cking body slamming as well!

Sack the head teacher of that school and make the fat lad head prefect, give him a baton and a f*cking stun gun to keep the little bullying arseholes in line... he's right and he's certainly got my vote!

WELL DONE SON !

lol post 2
'this video has been removed because it content violated Youtube's terms of service''
shame i wanted to watch him hobbling about on that ankle again

^ Youtube keeps removing the video but click here and a new one is probably up:

bully sydney

Originally Posted by Kurgen

Real life WWF, serves the little fucker right.

I like the way his lanky mate who went to step in got pushed back by a girl, poster boys for the Aussies.

And you would have complained about him picking on a girl if he decked her.

Try Safe For Work Visual Entertainment - Since 1999 | MediaFetcher.com

don't see what is the problem,

must be slow news day in Australia, they probably missed the nuclear explosion in Japan

This link is working at the mo.



Good on the fat kid!!

[at]Saraahh4 Ritchard (the little kid) fractured his knee. also Ritchard got 22 days of suspension and Casey got 4 days

Casey got suspended for 4 days, little rat kid for 22 days... rat kid fractured his knee.. serves him right

Big worm thsat turned,well done the big guy !........and girl that stepped in.