Mum claims daughter bullied for months at Albany Creek State High School

A Brisbane mother and teacher says she will contact police if the Department of Education doesn’t take action, after her high school allegedly “segregated’’ her daughter while her bullies roamed free every lunch time.

A mother and teacher wants Education Queensland to do more to stop alleged bullying of her child. File picture.

A Brisbane mother said she doesn’t know what else to do after her local high school allegedly “segregated’’ her daughter while the bullies roamed free every lunch time.

She said her Year 7 daughter has been tormented by a “nasty’’ group of students in what she claimed included harassment, rape threats and “abuse’’.

She said her daughter was suspended for leaving her “safety zone’’ when trying to escape the alleged bullies.

Albany Creek State High School responded to her pleas for help by telling the girl to spend her lunch breaks in the library.

“She gets sent to the library as her safe zone because she’s being bullied … if she’s not there though she will get suspended,” the mother said.

“She gets a card signed by staff to say she’s there both lunch times.

“Why are we segregating the child that’s being bullied?

“It doesn’t make any sense to me that she should be punished for this.”

According to the distressed mother, the alleged bullying started almost from the start of term 1 in Year 7.

“My daughter has been subjected to verbal abuse — name calling, threats of violence, body shaming, threats of sexual violence,” she said.

“Physical violence (as well) — slaps, hair pulling, kicks, pushes, punches, shoulder barges, attempts to trip her over.

“Harassment (included) unwanted touching and sniffing her hair, inappropriate questions and suggestions, threats of rape, shoulder rubs and exaggerated hugs hiding inappropriate touching of female body parts.’’

She claimed the bullies followed close behind her daughter at school, had followed her after school to find out where she lived and later loitered outside their home at night.

Albany Creek State High School.

The mother said incidents had occurred in between classes and at lunch times.

“When she (her daughter) informed some of her teachers, they investigated, and (on one occasion) I was even notified by the school to quickly retrieve my daughter from the school as a group of bullies were chasing her,” she said.

“The school advised me to keep her home for two weeks to guarantee my child’s safety and wait for it to all blow over.”

A Department of Education (DoE) spokesperson said the school provided extensive support to the girl and that the library was a safe zone for bullied students.

“Like all Queensland state schools, Albany Creek State High School takes the issue of bullying very seriously and is committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of every student,” they said.

“All concerns raised by the family regarding bullying allegations have been investigated, actioned and extensive support provided to (the) student.

“The library is always supervised by staff and is an option available to any students seeking assistance.”

The mother said while the school originally accepted her daughter was being bullied it now claimed the girl had been exaggerating.

“My daughter was accused of exaggerating the abuse and alternate scenarios were suggested as explanations to rationalise the behaviours reported,’’ she said.

“She is accused of seeking out the bullies and refusing to co-operate with teachers’ instructions.’’

The DoE spokesperson said however that “accusations of teachers yelling at students are unsubstantiated”.

“Any situation that threatens the safety and wellbeing of students, staff or others in our school communities is treated extremely seriously, and dealt with as a matter of priority in line with the school’s Student Code of Conduct,” they said.

“The code explicitly addresses the school’s behaviour expectations of students and actions on preventing and responding to bullying.

“The school takes student safety very seriously and works to provide a safe, supportive learning environment for all students.

“The department encourages any students, parents and carers to immediately report any cases of bullying or misconduct to their school principal in the first instance, or their closest Department of Education regional office.

“Serious matters of concern that occur in the community and outside of school hours should be reported to The Queensland Police Service.”

The mother said she was now escalating the matter and had now called police and would take her daughter in to police this week to make a formal statement.

“She has started withdrawing into herself, her personality is changing and her grades are dropping” her mother said.

“They’re calling her fat, which she isn’t and now I’m struggling to get her to eat a normal amount for a girl her age.

“They even egged our house, which really scared her.

“I’m stressed about this, scared for her safety and wellbeing, anxious, frustrated and angry.

“I just want her case to be taken seriously and for there to be real action, not just the school making her spend her lunch times in the library which is incredibly unfair.”

However, the DoE spoksperson said the school offered support for bullied students.

“The school also has a range of other supports in place for students experiencing bullying, including an anonymous reporting platform (“Something’s Not OK”) and the employment of a Deputy Principal Inclusion, Head of Department Learning Engagement, Chaplain, Defence Mentor, First Nations Support Officer, School Social Worker, School-Based Youth Health Nurse and Guidance Officers,” they said.

“The school also participates in National Day of Action against bullying, Are you OK? Day and other events that support the wellbeing of students and the broader school community.”