Student lashes Brighton Secondary College principal over handling of anti-Semitic bullying claims

An ex-Brighton Secondary student who is suing the state government says he “didn’t feel human” when his claims of anti-Semitic bullying were overlooked by the principal.

Five former Brighton Secondary College students are suing the State of Victoria and two teachers.

A Jewish student who said he had a knife held to his throat in escalating anti-Semitic bullying has lashed the state government for allowing the principal to stay in his job.

Liam Arnold-Levy told the Federal Court that a group of students at Brighton Secondary College dragged him in the bathroom, held him against a wall, punched him in the stomach and pulled a pocket knife on him a week after he was seen complaining to the administration office about persistent abuse.

The 21-year-old, who is suing the State of Victoria and its education staff, said he was left confused over how principal Richard Minack was still in the job following his complaints of repeated verbal and physical anti-Semitic attacks by students that he said went ignored.

“It really confuses me, I can’t understand how the department can sit there and allow a principal (to stay in the job) who denies any form of responsibility,” he said.

Talking of the knife attack, Mr Arnold-Levy said he was in year 9 when he was dragged in the bathroom by a group of boys, one of whom raised a pocket knife “to my neck and said, ‘If you ever mention this to anyone we’re really gonna hurt you’.”

He said he was told if he “went to administration or anyone else again” he would be injured.

“I was just left … shaking,” he said.

“I was curled up in that cubicle for — I don’t even know how long I was there for — crying because of what had just occurred.

“I was scared to get up, I was scared to move.”

Eventually, he said he “ran” to the administration office and “demanded” to see the principal but was told his complaint would be passed on.

There was “no follow up, no questions, no response” and “no reaction to the fact a student brought a knife to school”, he said.

“I didn’t feel human … I was just so shocked at the lack of care the school provided for such a harsh attack.”

About a week later, he moved to a Jewish school after being offered a full scholarship.

The next year, in 2016, Mr Arnold-Levy said he had a “short” meeting with Mr Minack where they spoke of the anti-Semitic bullying.

“I didn’t get an apology, I didn’t get recognition, I got excuses and I felt even more belittled after the meeting.”

A former Brighton Secondary College student who claims he suffered anti-Semitic bullying says there was ‘no place’ he felt safe at the school.

Before the alleged knife attack, Mr Arnold-Levy said he made constant reports to the office about swastikas drawn on his locker, being gestured at with the Nazi salute, called a “f--ing Jew”, having coins thrown at his feet, his yarmulke ripped off his head and his book defaced with the Star of David.

On one occasion he said he was told by a staffer to stop being “dramatic” after he was pushed to the ground by students.

He told the court that his arms and back would be covered in bruises, and that the office staff would write down his complaints on scrap paper and say they’d be handed to the principal.

“I can’t tell you how many times I went to the administration office to tell them I’d been hurt quite badly and shown them the bruises, the red marks,” he said.

He said he had weekly sessions with the school counsellor where he spent “90 per cent” of the time talking of anti-Semitic bullying but “it was like talking to a brick wall”.

“Nothing was being taken down, she didn’t pick up her pen.”

There was “no place” he said he felt safe at the school and stated that other students would avoid him because he was the target of abuse.

One day, Mr Arnold-Levy said he was laying on the grass when a student came up behind him “and kicked me in the head really hard”.

His yarmulke at the time was in the pattern of a soccer ball.

“I looked up and they laughed and said, ‘I’m sorry I thought it was a soccer ball.’”

Mr Arnold-Levy told the court he has been hospitalised in recent years for chronic anxiety, and had considered self-harming while at Brighton Secondary.

“I remember getting a sharp knife from the kitchen and I really did think about hurting myself,” he said.

“I didn’t know what else to do or who else to go to and I really, really thought about hurting myself.”

His anxiety and panic attacks ramped up when he moved from his Jewish high school to university, where he feared he’d again be the target of racial attacks.

“There was a point my anxiety got so bad that I lost sensation in one of my arms,” he said, stating the mental stress led to a diagnosis of functional neurological disorder.

Asked by defence lawyer Chris Young, QC, whether he ever reported the issues to his classroom teachers or those in the schoolyard, Mr Arnold-Levy said he didn’t.

He “never” saw a teacher around in the yard and “didn’t feel comfortable enough” to talk to classroom staff, instead opting to go to the administration office.

Mr Arnold-Levy and four other former Brighton Secondary Jewish students — brothers Joel and Matt Kaplan, Guy Cohen and Zack Snelling — are suing the State of Victoria, Mr Minack and two teachers.

The four week trial, before Justice Debra Mortimer, continues.