WARNING: VIDEO CONTAINS STRONG LANGUAGE AND VIOLENCE. Click on attached documents below right to see the footage.
SHOCKING video footage has emerged of a teenager being repeatedly punched in the head and kicked while on the ground as more than 20 Malanda State High School students watch.
The video, posted on internet site YouTube by the boy’s tormentors, has sparked new fears about the growing trend of cyber bullying.
Fely Doolan, of Malanda, knew something was wrong with her normally "sweet-natured" son when he started returning home from school distressed and withdrawn.
It was only after a work colleague told Ms Doolan’s husband that footage of her 13-year-old son Jairus being viciously bashed had been posted on YouTube that the full extent of the bullying came to light.
"The school has failed my son by not dealing with the bullying behaviour," she said.
"Nothing has happened to the boy who did this to my son and instead they blamed Jairus.
"They told me he did not fit in with the school’s culture."
Jairus told The Cairns Post after seven years of home schooling he had been excited about attending school, but the bullying now meant he was fearful to return.
"I don’t want to go back," he said. "I don’t want to get into a fight and if you report a fight or bullying behaviour, like I did, they do nothing about it and you get in trouble."
Jairus said he had been a target for bullies since the first day of school and had been tricked into going to the school oval where the videoed fight took place.
Ms Doolan has allowed The Cairns Post to publish images from the fight, and to host the video on cairns.com.au because she wanted people to see the extent of bullying at Malanda State High School.
Queensland Council of Parents and Citizens Association state president Margaret Black said yesterday the increase in cyber bullying was of grave concern.
"I am surprised at this incidence because Malanda has such a good reputation," she said.
"However, we are seeing an increase in cyber bullying and unfortunately it is a reflection of society today."
A Queensland Education spokeswoman said she could not comment on the Malanda incident for privacy reasons but confirmed the department was working with the Doolan family to reach a solution.
