Violence at school

april2010

#Any advice greatly appreciated#

My friend is in secondary school; senior cycle.

He was set upon in school corridoors by an older student he didn't know - badly beaten - bloodied and traumatised - he was threaten that he would be killed - he has a photo of some of his injuries.

What are his rights in relation to dealing with his attacker - can my friend take any action - what should he do?

Please help.

Debbie

Nuttzz

its an assualt,

His options report it to the school, report it to the cops, wait around to get his head kicked in again,

Senior cycle = leaving cert year? if so report it and be done with it, 99 days or so to the leaving cert, little point worrying about been called a grass

Taltos

Agree totally - go to both school and gardai.
He will prob be doing this idiot a favour by getting him dealt with now before he does kill someone.

april2010

Thanks for replies - It's good to hear a bit of sense cuz right now my friend feels so alone.

He has gone to the school - and is actually being made feel like the criminal. His attacker is getting off real light - like nothing really happened. The school officials said the attacker has an "exceptionally good character" which probably means he knows people in high places or he's Somebody's son - but as if that really matters - he was attacked within school walls - if it happened on the street by a complete stranger it would be taken seriously.

The attacker has been given "punishment" akin to not having your homework done - does anyone think that is right?

I hate the fact that just because they are students that 'disciplining' is all that happens. This guy who attacked my friend has a Problem - and I'd say needs help.

I'll tell him to go to Gardai - but what are the chances of anything happening; will the school be obliged to co-operate? Has anyone ever heard of cases that actually succeed?

Debbie

Taltos

Up to how far he wants to push it.
Does not surprise me about the school - hence we all suggested them and the gardai.

While on school ground they are responsible I believe - so is it any wonder they want this to go away...
Persist though - get the gardai involved - an assault has been committed.
Encourage him to ask the gardai why it was not dealt with by the school and if necessary make a formal complaint to the school board about this...

Key thing is witnesses...

Annoys me to think this kind of crap still goes on.

anthony4335

If he reports it to the police they will have to treat it as an assault regardless of where it happened. The school will have no choice but to assist in any investigation, and if he plans on taking action he should do so sooner or later. Also if the person ,makes any gestures or comments to him at school he should report it.

april2010

Thanks Taltos, yeah this has come at totally the wrong time for my friend who is studying hard; but he'll just have to go to cops and push hard there if he cant get any support from school. Even his own teachers are treating him differently - like he's done something wrong.

I'd be worried that this violent little scut would come after him again and do real damage seeing that he's getting away with it now - his "good character" and all.

april2010

Thanks anthony - I hope by reporting it something can be done.

RE witnesses - yeah - people actually saw it but I dont think that was considered by school officials.

Would wittnesses have to make statement too to Gardai?

Taltos

I believe that the Gardai will want the names of any witnesses.
Make sure that your friend is as clear as possible - what prompted this, who threw the first blow; who helped; who it was reported to; what they said.

Agreed it has come at a rotten time. But there never is a good time for this.
The Dept of Education might also be called into play if the school is found not to have taken due care.

Do not be surprised if the school turn around and say - "sure it was only a bit of tom-foolery - boys letting off steam..."

Now I really do hope your friend is being honest here - any contradictions will not be good. The reason I say this is I too was in a fight in school - I too came off the worst - but in my case I was the initiator after too many taunts... Good thing was it did stop all that crap - but it took a while for the bruises to fade

april2010

Thanks Taltos . Yeah if my mate isn't being totally honest - that would only play into the hands of the school officials - I'll tell him to come totally clean.

I'll check the thread again tomorrow if any other comments come.

6th

I would suggest you talk to your friend and tell them to talk to the Gardai and make a statement.

Taltos

april2010 wrote: »

Thanks Taltos . Yeah if my mate isn't being totally honest - that would only play into the hands of the school officials - I'll tell him to come totally clean.

I'll check the thread again tomorrow if any other comments come.

Please be careful how you do this. He is doubtless shaken and upset that the school did not believe him - he does not want to think you don't believe him either.
Maybe just prep him on the statement - even help him write it out so that when you go to the gardai he definitely has everything captured - this will help them and help him as well...

Fingers crossed.

gimme5minutes

Definitely go to the gardai, it sounds like this was a lot more than 'boys will be boys' and he is actually the victim of a criminal assault. The school are likely trying to play it down because if it is a serious assault they will be liable for compensation. And after the way they've treated your friend I think he should have no moral issues with taking a case against them.

april2010

Thanks for your replies everyone.

Was talking to friend with all advice - he tells me he has to engage further with the school but that he and his parents plan on going to the police.

What really gets me is

Question - When is an assault not an assault?

Answer - When it happens in a school...

That is sooo wrong

RedXIV

april2010 wrote: »

Thanks for your replies everyone.

Was talking to friend with all advice - he tells me he has to engage further with the school but that he and his parents plan on going to the police.

What really gets me is

Question - When is an assault not an assault?

Answer - When it happens in a school...

That is sooo wrong

not according to the guards. as stated above, it doesn't matter where it is, they treat every case as standard, and since they are in senior cycle, they are more likely to be taken seriously as they are close to legal adult age (if not already). As said, take note of EVERYTHING. and keep reporting stuff. even if it's something small, the more stuff you have to show your friend being a victim, the harder it will be for the other guy to get away with it.

Best of luck

Taltos

Doubt everything the school tells you - for them it is all about minimizing damage to the school....

Insurance; reputation; jobs etc - this is all more important to them than your friend or indeed any child there.

april2010

april2010 wrote: »

Question - When is an assault not an assault?

Answer - When it happens in a school...

That is sooo wrong

I know police will take it seriously but I suppose my above comment was from the school perspective

LegacyUser

Just something to bear in mind things may be happening in the background. If the assault is as serious as you say I would expect it to lead to suspension / expulsion of the attacker. This cannot be done without following a very strict procedure and the "accused" will have to be given notice of any disciplinary hearing before the School Board of Management. All of this takes time and would not necessarily have any involvement of the victim and the first they may know of it is when the person is no longer in the school.

If this is not the case and he is not happy about how the situation was dealt with, I do not see any reason why the victims parents could not write to the BOM of the school expressing their unhappiness at how the situation was dealt with.

There should be two parents from the school on the BOM and the school principle should be able to give contact details for these individuals and the procedure for having the issue dealt with by the BOM.

Regarding the comment about the school wanting to protect its image by doing nothing, speaking as a parent I would consider that would be the worst way to go about protecting the school image. I know in most schools an issue of this seriousness would be dealt with by the school and passed on to the gardai if they thought it was warranted.