Police investigate after horrific threatening messages sent to 12-year-old Jewish boy
A Jewish boy who was withdrawn from Cheltenham Secondary College after a horrific incident where he was taunted and made to kiss the feet of another student, has allegedly been sent a series of vile messages.
Education
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A jewish boy who was made to kneel and kiss the feet of a Muslim classmate has now allegedly been sent messages saying he will be “slaughtered” and asked if he “wanted to talk about suicide”.
The Herald Sun can reveal a police complaint was made on Monday and officers will speak to a boy who allegedly sent the horrific messages.
The boy who sent the messages is not the one who demanded the 12-year-old kiss his feet.
A police spokeswoman said police were investigating a report that a student from a Cheltenham school had received a number of concerning messages, but would not comment on the investigation.
An Education Department spokesman said the content of the messages was condemned.
“The language used is appalling and is not tolerated in any of our schools,” he said.
“We understand the matter has been referred to Victoria Police. It is therefore not possible for the school or department to comment further.”
The Instagram messages show the boy told the 12-year-old “I’ll f---ing slaughter you” and repeatedly called him vile names.
The 12-year-old tells him he will pray for him and finishes his message with: “Anyway have a good day mate”.
The response from the boy was: “You wanna talk about suicide?” The 12-year-old told him he wasn’t suicidal and was “enjoying life to its fullest”.
The messages continued: “Honestly the next headline will be you getting ur head kicked in f---ing f----t”.
The messages were sent on Friday, a day after publication of a photo of the boy kneeling and kissing the feet of an older student. The 12-year-old is now no longer at the school.
His mother became aware of the messages on Saturday.
“We had to seek counselling on Sunday he was so upset. We also met with our rabbi in between sessions.”
Her son was supposed to speak with police that day, but “couldn’t bring himself to do it”. He was able to make the complaint on Monday.
She had spoken to a relative of the boy who assured her their family didn’t condone the messages.
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The mother shared the messages with state Education Minister James Merlino, who has ordered a review into the way Cheltenham Secondary College responded to the shoe-kissing incident and how Hawthorn West Primary School responded to a separate incident where a “five-year-old boy was allegedly called a ‘Jewish cockroach’”.
She remained angry at the response of Cheltenham Secondary College to the shoe-kissing incident, who said they weren’t responsible because it happened in a public park.
“That school statement was ridiculous … it made my blood boil,” she said.