At least two grade 1 boys from St Stithians College are facing disciplinary action over the alleged bullying of a girl pupil who was allegedly beaten and also may need to have fluid drained from her ear after pencil shavings were put inside.
This comes after a meeting with the school and the family of the girl on Tuesday.
Sowetan previously reported that the child’s mother said her daughter had been bullied at the private school in Lyme Park, Sandton, in the 10 months she had been there.
One of the boys is accused of assaulting the girl during ballet class, an incident alleged to have been caught on school cameras, while the other is believed to have put pencil shavings inside her ear.
Sowetan understands that the one who allegedly beat the girl is to spend a day in internal suspension in a disciplinary office and also attend play therapy with the school’s educational psychologist.
The school will also send a warning letter to the child’s family that any such future conduct would lead to suspension or exclusion from the school.
The matter of the boy accused of having put the pencil shavings inside the girl’s ear and allegedly threatening to put the whole pencil inside if she tells anyone is said to be still under further investigation.
The mother of the girl said while they felt Tuesday’s meeting went better than expected, they are not happy with the sanctions.
“On the transgression of physical assault on our child, we are satisfied with the school’s investigation, process, and guilty verdict and admission of guilt by the 7-year-old perpetrator on the school grounds.
“We are, however, finding the sanctions levied against the transgressor to be lenient in light of the violent and aggressive footage demonstrated to us, which is unpalatable for any parent.”
Sowetan reached out to the school for a comment, but the school’s rector, Celeste Gilgard, said, “Thank you for your query, but we are not able to share any information on these confidential disciplinary matters. Our first responsibility is to ensure that these matters are handled with care and in line with our student code of conduct and safeguarding framework.”
Sowetan
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