Five students from Baldivis Secondary College in Perth’s southern suburbs have been suspended after a video surfaced online showing them tormenting a relief teacher in a classroom, prompting widespread condemnation from education officials.

Disturbing Classroom Incident

Students at the school recently tormented a relief teacher in a classroom incident that's now drawn widespread condemnation. The now-deleted video, originally posted to TikTok, depicted students running freely around the classroom, standing on desks, and physically interacting with the teacher by touching her hair. Shockingly, some students were also seen blowing vape smoke directly into her face.

The teacher kept asking them to stop. They didn't listen. The video was captioned, “reality of being a relief teacher at BSC,” highlighting the perceived normalisation of such behaviour by those involved. The school swiftly moved to suspend five students involved in the incident, and support is now being provided to the affected teacher.

Official Outcry and School Response

State officials quickly condemned the video. Western Australia’s Education Minister, Sabine Winton, expressed her dismay, stating the vision made for “distressing viewing” and that she was “appalled by the behaviour displayed.” Winton said teachers deserve respect and safety in classrooms. She confirmed five students, including the one who filmed it, were suspended.

Opposition Education Minister Liam Staltari labelled the behaviour as “shocking and beyond unacceptable.” He stressed that teachers must be respected and safe—that's non-negotiable. Staltari highlighted a broader crisis in the education sector, noting that “extreme bad behaviour, teacher burnout and resignations have soared for years.” He called for the government to take a firm stance, ensuring teachers and principals could enforce rules with “zero tolerance” for such conduct.

Mastheads

Principal Alison Parlo told the Baldivis Times the incident was unacceptable. She described the behaviour as “deeply troubling and completely unacceptable,” asserting that it fell short of the school’s expected standards and wouldn't be tolerated. Parlo confirmed the school had reported the footage to the Education Department and was actively working to identify the student responsible for filming and posting the video online. Parents of the suspended students were scheduled to meet with the principal on Monday.

Broader Implications for Teachers and Social Media

The State School Teachers Union of WA said this shows the daily abuse relief teachers face. The union suggested that such disrespectful behaviour significantly contributes to many educators deciding to leave the profession.

This sentiment aligns with Liam Staltari’s assertion that teacher resignations have surged by 120 per cent over the past six years, pointing to a systemic issue of declining morale and increasing challenges within schools.

Staltari also raised concerns about the role of social media in these incidents. This fact that such footage could be easily filmed and shared on platforms like TikTok underscored the need for more robust measures to address gaps in existing social media bans within schools. He argued that teachers needed “action” rather than just “talk” to tackle these issues effectively. Smartphones and social media make it harder for schools to keep classrooms focused and respectful.

Maintaining School Standards

Parlo condemned the students but said they don't represent the whole school. She stated that the “vast majority of our students are a credit to this school, their families and to our community,” and that it was important this incident not be seen as a reflection of them. This distinction aims to protect the reputation of the school and its many well-behaved students from being unfairly tarnished by the actions of a few.

The incident highlights how relief teachers struggle and why schools need to build a culture of respect. Aboriginal Affairs Minister Don Punch also weighed in on Monday morning, describing the incident as “bullying.”

Related Articles

The school has confirmed that support is being provided for the relief teacher involved in the distressing incident.

This article was created with AI assistance.