A woman, claiming to be the mother of a student kicked by schoolmates at Montfort Secondary School, has filed a police report and is threatening legal action, she said in a Facebook post on Sunday (Feb 23).

The post by user Joleen Wee claimed that she is a single mum speaking out on behalf of her son's "traumatic experience."

This comes after a Facebook post on Saturday (Feb 22) depicted a boy being kicked and tripped by schoolmates.

The video, which has garnered over 3,900 reactions and more than 10,000 shares, has since been removed. One of the earlier posts on Facebook had reportedly racked up more than 1.2 million views.

In the video, a group of Montfort Sec students trail behind their schoolmate for a distance, before two break off to approach him.

One of them then trips the boy and pushes him, causing him to fall, while the other kicks him.

The boy then gets back to his feet and attempts to walk away before being tripped again.

Phobia about going school

Adding to this video, Wee claimed that her son had been strangled and beaten prior to the video that was uploaded.

She also uploaded photographs of her son's neck with visible red marks and bruised skin, alleging that these are strangulation marks.

"Can you imagine how much force [was] used to cause this?" Wee said. "This...could have led to death due to suffocation! So is it still as simple as bullying?"

Her son, she added, is also allegedly traumatised from the incident, and has developed a phobia of going to school and mixing with students.

"I am now experiencing great difficulty juggling with work and my son," she admitted, adding that she had since brought her son to KK Women's and Children's Hospital and filed a police report.

"I am now concerned that my son will develop depression," Wee added. "I am reserving my rights to take up legal action!"

Responding to queries from AsiaOne, the police confirmed that a report was lodged and that investigations are ongoing.

Disciplinary action taken by school

Montfort Sec vice-principal Wilson Tay told CNA on Sunday that the school is aware of the incident and that the students involved have been met with "appropriate disciplinary action".

"We have also counselled the affected students and engaged their parents," Tay said. "The students have acknowledged that their behaviours were wrong and have expressed remorse."

He added: "The school has zero tolerance for bullying and violence and will continue to seek to provide a safe learning environment for all students."

Tay did not explain the details of the disciplinary action taken.

AsiaOne has reached out to the school for more information.

Vigilantism can complicate bullying cases: Chan Chun Sing

Education Minister Chan Chun Sing said in Parliament earlier this month that vigilantism from adults can complicate cases of bullying and violence in schools.

"No one should be bullied, no one wants to be bullied, and no one should bully," Chan said.

Although physical bullying cases are manageable, associated issues arising from online discourse are worrying.

The virality of social media posts has "heightened sensitivities" and increases "social media vigilante actions", which could normalise extreme behaviour and hinder rehabilitative actions, he explained.

He added: "The unhelpful involvement of even a minority of adults can complicate the situation and compound the challenges faced in guiding our students."

"MOE (Ministry of Education) is particularly concerned when adults take to social media or turn up in our schools to threaten our staff, demanding action on behalf of their children or even threatening the other children," he stated. "This is wrong."

Chan also asserted that parents are the most important role models for their children.

"If we act like bullies, online or offline, they will too," he said.

"Threatening, doxxing and being disrespectful to other children and teachers are not actions that make our children better."

AsiaOne has reached out to MOE for more information.

khooyihang@asiaone.com

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