A still from a video showing a student about to kick another.
A Tauranga 13-year-old who says he was kicked in the face and shin while walking home from school is now scared to leave the house and has been struggling to sleep since the attack.
His mother claims the two Ōtūmoetai College students allegedly responsible for the “vicious” attack on Tuesday last week were stood down, which she believes is not good enough and she wants “consequences, not holidays”.
The college would not comment on what actions were taken but was “deeply disheartened” by the assault on its student and was working with the victim and his whānau on a plan to help him feel safe.
Police were making inquiries into a report of an assault involving three young people and speaking with those involved.
The victim, who the Bay of Plenty Times has chosen not to name, said he was walking home across the school field when he heard someone call his name.
He turned and saw someone walking towards him in an “intimidating” way.
“I put my hands up and was backing away and then he kicked me in the face, and then another kid kicked me in the shin and I fell on the ground.”
During the attack, thoughts of “why were they doing it” were running through his head, he said.
“I was scared.”
He said he knew both students.
He got up and started running home and said someone videoing the incident followed him for some distance, even after he asked them to stop filming.
“I started crying,” he said.
His brother saw the end of the attack and ran after him.
The victim suffered a cut lip, cut tongue and bruises on his leg.
His mum Leanne Swinburne said when she heard what happened, she went looking for the attackers but was unable to find them. She also called the school.
She said her son was in shock and she refused to take him “anywhere near [the school]” to provide a statement.
Her other son made a statement.
She said police were present when, later that day, one of the boys involved called her other son and admitted hurting the 13-year-old because “he was looking at the bro’s Mrs”.
She had started looking at moving him to another school.
Since the attack, her son had been scared to leave the house, struggled to sleep and had become less talkative.
She said that on Wednesday last week, a college staff member emailed asking how her son was and requested the police reference number as they had found a video of the attack.
She said the staff member asked if the student would return the next day and said neither of the attackers would be at school. Swinburne said no.
She said she took the video of the attack to the police station. The video, viewed by the Bay of Plenty Times, shows a student delivering a high kick to another, who backs away with his hands out and then falls over, seemingly due to another blow outside the video frame.
Swinburne said she went to the school to talk about the situation on Thursday but was not able to speak to anyone. She contacted the Ministry of Education.
Swinburne said she had multiple communications with the school between Friday and Sunday but was left feeling, from her perspective, it was not taking what happened seriously enough.
She said in one conversation she was told the school had taken reasonable steps, the stand-down period was sufficient, there would be no further action and the incident was “not severe enough” to go before Board of Trustees.
“I asked … how many times someone needed to be violent towards someone else before there’s a consequence that’s actually justifiable.”
She said she was speaking out “to advocate for anyone that’s been bullied or may potentially be bullied”.
“I just want consequences, not holidays.”
In her view, stand-downs were a “reward”, not a punishment: “Be a naughty boy and have three days off at home sitting on your Xbox.”
In her opinion, they should be “made examples of” by having to pick up rubbish all day at the school in front of other students or being excluded from fun activities, for example.
Generally speaking: “They know there’s no consequences, nobody’s going to do anything, and they’re going to do it again.”
Ōtūmoetai College acting principal Dave Cleland told the Bay of Plenty Times the school acknowledged the impact of the assault on the teen, was “deeply disheartened” by the actions of those involved and was working closely with them and their whānau to find a suitable resolution.
He said the school would work to improve communication clarity with the victim and whānau.
“We acknowledge that some of the communication with the victim’s whānau could have been better. Comments that referred to the incident ‘not being serious enough’ should not have been made,” he said.
“Every incident of violence is considered serious and investigated thoroughly.”
The school would keep working closely with the victim in this incident.
“Through negotiation between the student, whānau, deans, and teachers, we will work to provide a suitable plan for all that allows our students to feel they are in a safe learning environment.”
He declined to comment on the sanctions the students received for privacy reasons but said a framework would be followed to ensure student safety and consequences that reinforced the school’s no-tolerance stance on violence.
It was the principal’s decision whether to stand down or suspend a student in accordance with Education and Training Act 2020 guidelines.
Cleland said stand-downs were treated “seriously, and as a serious outcome” and could be followed up with interventions such as counselling and learning support.
The school reviewed all stand-downs and suspensions to ensure the process was continually assessed for ways to improve, and this was no exception.
He said the Board of Trustees only became involved in suspensions but were informed about all stand-downs.
The school shared its community’s concern about bullying and violence and Cleland said there was “no place” for these.
“Ōtūmoetai College places a high value on quick response times to all incidents, an immediate open dialogue with the impacted student, whānau and other agencies when appropriate, a clear safety plan for those impacted, and defined conditions for students who are stood down to ensure safety for all students.”
Cleland said the pastoral system’s goal was “not to just punish,” but for students to recognise there were “significant consequences” to their choices. Supporting them to change their behaviours for better future outcomes was equally important.
Ministry of Education Hautū Te Tai Whenua (deputy secretary, Central) Jocelyn Mikaere said its team has been in contact with the school and the “incident has been taken seriously”.
“All students deserve to feel safe at school and if any parent has concerns about their children’s safety and wellbeing, they should raise it with the school immediately. Our team will continue to provide support and guidance for the school, and also for whānau if requested.”
Mikaere said reports of assault at any school were serious and should be referred to the police.
Cira Olivier is a social issues and breaking news reporter for NZME Bay of Plenty. She has been a journalist since 2019.
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