Any repercussions for acts while in uniform?

pooch90

Sorry about the awful title.
My friend's child has been getting attacked regularly outside of school by a group of children. It started in school last year but now they've started waiting until off the premises (but barely)

The school have washed their hands of it. I have a vague recollection of being told that while you are in uniform you are representing the school as such. Could this be an angle that could be taken to try to stop it? The guards won't do anything as it's children and they're a group well known for trouble with parents who won't care.

If schools have to deal with cyber bullying then surely they can do something about an 11 year old getting battered with a chain 10 feet outside the gates??

byhookorbycrook

Unfortunately no, there is nothing to say that children in uniform are liable to the school for their actions.

pooch90

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

Unfortunately no, there is nothing to say that children in uniform are liable to the school for their actions.

Thank you byhook.
I have no idea how to help them (I'm a teacher too but not in that school). I remember getting in trouble in secondary school for smoking in my school uniform so I was hoping there may have been an official line on it somewhere.

strawberrie

If they are attacking someone with a chain that is assault and the school uniform may be a help to the gardaí in identifying those responsible.

pooch90 wrote: »

Thank you byhook.
I have no idea how to help them (I'm a teacher too but not in that school). I remember getting in trouble in secondary school for smoking in my school uniform so I was hoping there may have been an official line on it somewhere.

pooch90

They're known, as are their families, but unfortunately the gardai have said they won't do anything
It's a consistent thing and would have started initially in school. Poor little boy is harmless and doesn't deserve to be targeted by a gang of little thugs.

byhookorbycrook

I'd be interested as to why a garda would say they won't do anything, as pointed out, that's assault,at the very least.

evolving_doors

I think there was something about the school being entitled to take disciplinary action against pupils outside of the school when they were wearing the school uniform. That would be down to the policy of that particular school though... and open up to appeals if there isn't first hand witnesses ready to agree that it took place. So probably a hot potato they wouldn't like to touch especially these days.

Probably what would get them to act is if the Gardai came knocking at the principal's office.

So you would need to give gardai cause to do this.

Try and get footage off a dashcam maybe. The car could be parked with no-one in it also.

Then show the footage to the gardai and say you wanted to report it as an assault and say you don't know who the kids are.

If they wont do anything about it, then go to the principal yourself and show him the footage.

As a last resort mention that you thought you saw other kids with their phones recording the incident.... last thing a principal wants is their school crest on youtube or facebook.

GarIT

pooch90 wrote: »

They're known, as are their families, but unfortunately the gardai have said they won't do anything

Ask to speak to the head guy in the station, tell him you will be reporting higher up if it's not investigated. Insist you want to make a written statement regarding the assault. Go directly to the Gardaí after every incident, every time tell them how many times you have been there before and insist on them making a written record every time.

Consider writing to your local councillors too, they can light a fire under the asses of the school and the Gardaí. Schools have no power to do anything legally but can talk to the people involved if they choose.

RobbieMD

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

I'd be interested as to why a garda would say they won't do anything, as pointed out, that's assault,at the very least.

If the kids involved are under 12yrs old, the children act means they are not held responsible for their actions, unless for serious crimes like rape and murder. It's not that the Gardai "won't" do anything, it's that they can't. Of course that's under the assumption the kids are under 12yrs

pooch90

Yeah the kids would be under 12.
Just to clarify, I am not there for any of the incidents. It is my friend's son. The location of the school is such that you can't park by it so dashcam footage wouldn't be possible. I also don't think she has witnessed the assaults but other parents definitely have.
I just found out that the same kids had the chain at school again on Friday and did the same thing to another child outside the school. It just beggars belief that there's nothing that can be done.

RobbieMD

pooch90 wrote: »

Yeah the kids would be under 12.
Just to clarify, I am not there for any of the incidents. It is my friend's son. The location of the school is such that you can't park by it so dashcam footage wouldn't be possible. I also don't think she has witnessed the assaults but other parents definitely have.
I just found out that the same kids had the chain at school again on Friday and did the same thing to another child outside the school. It just beggars belief that there's nothing that can be done.

If it was any of my kids, I'd be making a point of being present when it's likely to happen after school.

I'd also push the school on its duty of care to the pupils. Both the kid being bullied and those doing the bullying. Maybe it's a matter that TUSLA could be made aware by way of referral from the school. Who knows what the bully's are experiencing at home, maybe they're repeating behaviours they've experienced. Not that that would excuse their behaviour. I hate bullying. I hope your friend gets a decent outcome.