The assault was caught on school cameras on October 7, which led to police making arrests. Following the arrests, the victim received threats of violence by a private number on his phone.
The victim’s father says his son was being harassed and intimidated on school property and outside of the Vankleek Collegiate Institute schoolgrounds by other students since the beginning of the school year. In one case, he was allegedly threatened with a knife in one of the school’s bathrooms, which was not caught on camera.
The victim says he had spoken with VCI principal Christie Walker two weeks prior to the incident. According to the victim’s father, Principal Walker said that intimidation does not happen in her school and that the school cannot punish students for events outside of school property.
According to the father, the two students who committed the assault only received two and three days of suspension.
“I don’t tolerate harassment and intimidation” said the victim’s father.
He says he has called UCDSB several times to talk to Director of Education Ron Ferguson but has not been able to reach Ferguson.
The UCDSB has declined to comment following requests from the Tribune-Express.
“We cannot comment on any personal matters involving police,” said April Scott-Clarke, UCDSB manager of communications, citing the Youth Justice Act.
The father has since then decided to change his son’s school. The student also needs to receive mental health support.
“He is traumatized.” said the father. “He does not sleep at night. We have to see a mental health professional in the private sector.”
The names of both the student and the father, and also the two students charged as a result of the police investigation, are withheld under the guidelines of the Youth Justice Act.
