Randfontein pupils likely to be expelled for bullying

In the video, the victim is seen being physically and verbally attacked by a group of fellow learners.

The pupil who recorded the video repeatedly told the rest of the learners not to assist him in the fight. Once the victim was on the ground, the pupils began to laugh mockingly at him.

Click here to watch the video.

The school’s principal, Leon Haupt, released a statement in which he gave the outcome of the disciplinary hearing following the incident, Randfontein Herald reported.

“The disciplinary hearing was led by an independent chairperson along with the school’s management and members of the school governing body last Wednesday,” Haupt added.

“The harshest possible punishment, expulsion, was the panel’s decision for the three main culprits,” he said.

Haupt said the recommendation was sent to the department of education for approval and the pupils were suspended in the meantime.

“The victim has already started with trauma counselling for which the school is carrying the expense,” he added.

All learners involved in the incident will now undergo compulsory anti-bullying workshops.

According to education expert Graeme Bloch, instances of school bullying captured on video are likely to cause even more suffering and humiliation to victims.

“This is a mordernised world, so learners have access to the internet, which makes it easy for them to capture such incidents on cellphones and upload them to the internet,” he said.

Bloch added bullying in South African schools was prevalent and usually stemmed from young people having a low self-esteem and that learners who participated in it needed help and support.

– Caxton News Service