Teacher seeks damages from traumatic attack at Parkwood Secondary College

A veteran performing arts teacher will seek damages after an autistic student attacked her while she was teaching a music class at a now-closed Ringwood North high school, leaving her “hysterically crying” and feeling like a “useless teacher”.

Erin Osbourne taught for more than 20 years at Parkwood Secondary College before it closed in 2012.

A veteran performing arts teacher, who is recovering from breast cancer, will seek compensation after she was attacked by an autistic student in a music class.

Erin Osbourne, 58, was granted leave to chase damages from the psychological injuries she obtained in the October 12, 2012 attack at the former Parkwood Secondary College in Ringwood North.

Judge David Brookes handed down his verdict in the County Court on September 2 following a three-day hearing in February.

Ms Osbourne was involved with the college from 1983 until it closed in 2012, teaching performing arts and humanities.

The court heard she was teaching the glockenspiel when a student grabbed her left arm and repeatedly kicked, spat and swore at her before running out of the classroom.

The student, who was later expelled, had anger management issues and autism and was in class without his learning aide.

Ms Osbourne was left “hysterically crying and in shock” and referred to a psychologist and a psychiatrist for treatment.

The court heard she was still seeing a psychiatrist and taking antidepressants as a result of the incident.

Ms Osbourne continued as a teacher at Melba College in 2013 but found it “all too much” and scaled back her workload.

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In a statement read by Judge Brookes, the court heard the incident had a detrimental impact on Ms Osbourne’s career as she lost all her confidence and never taught music again.

She also stopped playing piano and reading books, became forgetful and reclusive and untidy at home and felt her relationships with her husband and daughter suffered.
“I dream about school a fair bit. Even in my dreams I have no confidence,” Ms Osbourne stated. “I feel like a useless teacher.”

In his findings, Judge Brookes declared Ms Osbourne had “suffered a permanent mental or permanent behavioural disturbance” from injuries sustained in her position.

He was satisfied Ms Osbourne had experienced a significant personality change and lost the ability to enjoy her recreational activities.

Judge Brookes determined the consequences of Ms Osbourne’s mental disorder as “severe” and granted her leave to seek damages.

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