Parents Seek Education Minister’s Help as Students Fear Returning to Melbourne Primary School

Parents of five primary school students have appealed to Victoria’s Education Minister Gabrielle Williams after their children allegedly became too frightened to attend classes because of repeated bullying and violent incidents involving another student.

The girls, students at Watsonia North Primary School in north Melbourne, allegedly experienced incidents including slapping, threats, being struck with a skipping rope and physical intimidation.

Five Students Refuse to Attend School

According to the parents, five students refused to return to the state school last week because they feared being hurt.

One student allegedly suffered a bloody nose after being slapped. The parents also alleged that the student responsible told the girl that she “deserved to be hit” and threatened to assault her again.

In another alleged incident, the student reportedly drew a coffin on a classroom whiteboard, placing the names of two students inside alongside “RIP”.

Other allegations include a student being pushed from monkey bars, struck with a skipping rope and subjected to abusive language.

Parents Say Children Are Too Scared to Attend Classes

The parents previously asked the school to move the student accused of bullying to another class. Instead, they were reportedly offered a separation arrangement in which the student would sit at least three metres away from the affected children.

One parent told local media that their nine-year-old child felt safer staying at home than going to school.

The parents subsequently sent a five-page letter to Education Minister Gabrielle Williams outlining what they described as serious concerns about their children's safety and wellbeing.

“They are refusing to attend school because they are genuinely fearful for their safety,” the parents reportedly wrote.

They also alleged that supervision arrangements and a requirement to keep the students separated were not consistently enforced and broke down within a day.

Parents Raise Concerns Over Threats

The parents said their children had developed fears that the other student could potentially harm or even kill them.

They said the coffin drawing had a serious psychological impact on the children, regardless of the intention behind it.

According to the parents, some of the girls were experiencing difficulty sleeping and asking whether their classmate could hurt them or other students.

The parents stressed that responsibility for ensuring children's safety at school rests with the adults and systems responsible for their care.

Education Department Responds

It is understood that Minister Gabrielle Williams' office has received the parents' letter.

A spokesperson for the Victorian Department of Education said the department could not comment on individual disciplinary matters.

The department said the school was taking “appropriate action” and providing support to affected students and their families.

The allegations have renewed concerns about how schools respond to repeated bullying, student violence and school safety complaints, particularly when affected children become too afraid to attend classes.