Killester College, Springvale: Students trapped in bathroom by mob of schoolgirls

A MOB of 50 Springvale Catholic schoolgirls has been slammed by their principal after cornering two frightened students who were forced to barricade themselves inside a toilet. SEE THE FOOTAGE

COUNSELLING will be offered to the teen victims of a mob attack broadcast online from a Melbourne Catholic school.

Killester College principal Leanne Di Stefano initially downplayed the incident as “teenage girls name-calling”, but later condemned the attack — where two frightened students were left barricaded in a school toilet as a mob threatened them — as “absolutely unacceptable”.

In a statement posted on the school’s website this afternoon, Leanne Di Stefano said the girls at her school were always told they had a right to feel safe and happy and to learn.

“Yesterday these rights were breached and two students did not feel safe,” Ms Di Stefano said.

She said she was disappointed not just by the behaviour of the girls involved but by those who stood by as the drama unfolded yesterday morning.

“A number of girls are on suspension while we work through the issues with them and their parents,” Ms Di Stefano said.

“Furthermore, we are disappointed by the girls who, as bystanders, failed to recognise how their behaviour contributed to the tension of the situation.”

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The entrance to the college in Springvale.

Ms Di Stefano said “two small groups of girls” had clashed on social media over the weekend.

“On Monday night, two girls made contact to organise a meeting with the year level co-ordinator for Tuesday morning,” she said.

The principal said the girls decided to wait in the toilets for the co-ordinator to arrive at school but “unfortunately the four other students realised they were in the toilets and went to confront them”.

“Disappointingly, about 15 other Year 12 girls decided to go into the toilets to watch, one of whom decided to live stream the incident,” Ms Di Stefano said.

The video shows a large group of girls in a toilet block, shouting and banging on doors of a cubicle.

Parents told the Greater Dandenong Leader that staff at the school had to disperse about 50 Catholic schoolgirls before the frightened students could leave the toilets.

The attack was filmed on Facebook Live by one student — quickly reaching more than 1000 views before it was deleted, one furious parent said.

A teacher from another school and shocked parents quickly contacted Killester staff.

Killester College principal Leanne Di Stefano had on Tuesday described the incident as “teenage girls name calling and a whole lot of other girls watching”.

Four students have been suspended and the entire Year 12 was called to an assembly at 11am on Tuesday where staff expressed their shock and disappointment.

One parent said she believed several children were taken home from school in the middle of the day by concerned parents.

Killester College student development co-ordinator Luana Doko said the school worked on a principle of “restorative practices”, meaning all parties would be brought together to re-establish a relationship so everyone could feel safe at school.

It is understood the girls called police during their ordeal.

Ms Di Stefano said today that cyber and personal safety were issues regularly addressed at the school.

“Yesterday’s behaviour was absolutely unacceptable but it will be worked through with the students and their families,” she said.