A HOBART father is considering legal action against the Education Department after he says his 13-year-old daughter was subjected to eight months of bullying at her school, culminating in her nose being broken and an attempt made to set her on fire.
The father, whose name has been withheld to protect his daughter's identity, said he was left dumbstruck by the failure of school authorities to provide the most basic duty of care. "I'm shattered," he said of the school's inability to deal with the repeated bullying of his daughter.
The distraught father said he could not believe his daughter's tormentors – five 13-year-old girls -- were not expelled.
Rather, the man's daughter has become a victim again by being forced to change schools.
"I was in the army, I protected my country and now I can't protect my little girl," he said.
After being contacted for a response by the Mercury, the Education Department said it would investigate.
"The department takes all incidents of violence seriously and has procedures in place to deal with them," Education Department deputy secretary Liz Banks said.
"In this instance, the school acted promptly and the actions included suspension, mediation and appropriate counselling and support for the students involved."
However, the victim's father rejected Ms Banks' claims that the school had acted "promptly".
He said the school principal failed to meet with him, despite repeated requests.
The father said the school failed to contact police when his daughter, a Year 7 student, was punched in the face by her main tormentor in the school playground on March 6.
The attack resulted in his daughter having surgery last Wednesday to reset her nose, after a week waiting for the swelling to go down.
That assault occurred on her 13th birthday and her father had allowed her to mark it by having her naturally red hair dyed brown the day before.
"The teasing had started off last year with name-calling the usual 'ranga' and the like, and she wanted to dye her hair. I held out for a long time but it didn't stop and I gave in for her birthday," he said.
"I couldn't believe they didn't call the police after my daughter was punched in the face.
"I took her to the doctor on March 6 ... She told me [my daughter's] nose was broken and I took her to the police station."
He said police had been very supportive and were dealing with the matter and the offender was suspended from school for a week.
"The day after she returned from that suspension, [my daughter] was in what was supposed to be a safe zone classroom during the lunch break," he said.
"The teacher's aide supervising the room had not been told that the girls weren't allowed near her and she let them in.
"They walked straight up to [my daughter], sprayed her with aerosol cans of hairspray and deodorant and tried to light her on fire with cigarette lighters."
The terrified girl managed to push her way through the group and run to safety with her clothing singed.
The father again met with the school and it was suggested the best option would be to remove his daughter from the school and place her elsewhere.
"I can't believe it," he said.
"I'm afraid for her life."
He said the Education Department had phoned him yesterday after it was approached by the Mercury.
"They say they're looking into it but they're eight months too late. This is going to scar her for the rest of her life."
zara.dawtrey@news.com.au
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