Cyber bullying: Over 152 shocking incidents reported by schools, drug incidents grow

PUPILS indecently assaulted a classmate in the toilets so they could film the attack and share the footage in one of 152 shocking incidents­ of cyber bullying reported by schools.

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SCHOOL pupils indecently assaulted a classmate in the toilets so they could film the attack and share the footage in one of 152 shocking incidents­ of cyber bullying reported by schools.

Alarming figures from the first year schools have been required to report “misuse of technology” show cyber bullying and sexting has exploded on to schools’ radar.

Education Minister Adrian Piccoli declined to comment yesterday but child and adolescent psychologist Dr Michael Carr-Gregg warned cyber bullying had reached a critical point and was now a bigger issue than children doing drugs.

“There is a parallel (with drug abuse) — the difference is it’s the parents giving the kids the mobile phones,” Dr Carr-Gregg said.

A student was taken into custody after allegedly assaulting another student and telling police she would run away. Picture: Justin Sanson

He said 20 per cent of young people had reported they had been affected by cyber bullying.

The education department figures came as The Daily Telegraph printed a confronting photograph of a 15-year-old schoolgirl in handcuffs after a fight over a mobile phone video at a Western Sydney school.

NSW Secondary Principals’ Council president Chris Presland said it was rare for a high school student to not have a smart phone, which “effectively means there is the potential for bullying 24/7 now”.

The student who was assaulted was assessed and not taken to hospital. Picture: Justin Sanson

The latest incident reports for all public primary and high schools in 2015, released by the NSW Education ­Department yesterday, revealed sexting, swapping graphic images, blackmail threats and naked videos are being used by pupils to ­degrade each other.

Fights are also being filmed and posted online.

Reports of drug incidents in schools have grown from 68 in 2012 to 299 last year.

In 2015, the first year “misuse of technology” was recorded, there were 152 such incidents reported.

And sexting and cyber bullying were “moving down the stream into primary schools”, Voluntary Parents Services Co-operative chairman David Jordan said.

Here are the statistic of incidents reported in school.

Banning mobile phones in schools would be impossible because parents want to be able to contact their children, Mr Jordan said.

“You have to spend a lot of time educating students on how they should be using technology, and it should be starting in primary schools because kids are getting phones younger and younger,” he said.

“Schooling is moving way from banning them to making them more responsible for themselves.”

Sexting and cyber bullying is ‘moving down stream into primary schools’ an expert said.

A NSW Education Department spokesman said students were disciplined for the misuse of electronic communication technology, such as mobile phones and tablet devices.

“The appropriate use of technology, including mobile devices, is a growing concern in the community, schools are no different,” the spokesman said.

“The decision to report on technology as a separate area enables the department to better identify and monitor specific issues.

“Any allegation of student behaviour that may ­indicate harmful sexualised behaviour is taken seriously.

“It is reported to police and child protection services immediately and appropriate support is provided to ­affected students.”

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