Former Caulfield Grammar student sues school, claims ‘act of cruelty’ led to PTSD

A former student is suing Caulfield Grammar over an “act of cruelty” that involved another student pouring boiling water over his head and neck that has left him severely traumatised.

The incident took place at Caulfield Grammar’s Wheeler’s Hill campus in 2019.

A former student is suing one of Melbourne’s largest co-ed private schools over an “act of cruelty” that involved another student pouring boiling water over his head and neck.

The incident, which took place at Caulfield Grammar in 2019, led to the student suffering post traumatic stress, pain and shock and scarring.

The student was then fifteen years old and in year ten.

The student, who is now 20, claims that as a result of the injury, he repeated year ten and did a non-scored VCE in 2020.

He is now working in a supermarket and is claiming loss of earnings and earning capacity as a result of the incident.

The student told the Herald Sun the incident was not an accident or a misunderstanding.

“It was an act of cruelty, and I was the target. The physical pain was horrible, but the

emotional damage has stayed with me far longer. So, to most people, I look ‘fine’ now. When I’m out in the sun, the affected skin reacts, and I also suffer from severe PTSD,” he said.

“The school did me a disservice, not only by failing to hold the student accountable in a meaningful way, but also by failing to support me”.

A writ filed in the County Court claims the school failed to keep the student safe, did not respond when it became aware of threats made by the perpetrator and allowed the perpetrator to stay at school after he had physically threatened the student.

The writ says the school also allowed the perpetrator to carry a metal water bottle of boiling water at the school’s Wheelers Hill campus.

Shine Lawyers solicitor Aristea Nikolakakis said the “incident has had a profoundly detrimental impact on our client and has left him not just with physical scars, but deep psychological ones too.

“We allege the school was warned about this student’s propensity for violence and yet did nothing to protect our client,” she said.

“We allege our client had been physically threatened by this student in the past and yet nothing was done to keep him safe.”

The student alleges the incident also affected his chances of fulfilling his dream of being a soccer captain.

“That leadership role, that recognition of my hard work, was taken away, just like everything

else that year,” he said.

“Since then, I haven’t been the same. Now I rarely go out with friends, and I often feel isolated.

“That one moment changed the trajectory of my life, not just because of the trauma, but because of how people responded to it. I was labelled, judged, and dismissed.”

A spokesman for the school said: “The matter is before the court and it is therefore inappropriate to comment at this time.”