Bullying victim in line for $1m payout (1 Viewer)

[ari89]

A NSW teenager is expected to receive up to a million dollars in compensation for bullying he suffered in primary school.

The NSW Supreme Court yesterday found the state of NSW was liable for the physical and psychological damage suffered by Benjamin Cox, at the hands of an older student, because the school had taken no reasonable steps to prevent the harassment.

The court heard the boy's mother Angela Cox complained to the Education Department and was told by an official that “bullying builds character".

Justice Carolyn Simpson yesterday found Mr Cox, now 18, “suffered and continues to suffer severe emotional, psychological and psychiatric injury”.

The bullying at hands of an older student, known as TH, began in 1994 when Mr Cox, then six years old, attended enrolled in Woodberry Public School, in the NSW Hunter region.

Justice Simpson said the plaintiff suffers from "psychiatric conditions identified as Depression and Anxiety Disorder, Separation Anxiety Disorder, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. These are unlikely to abate. He is unemployable and is in receipt of a disability pension".

Justice Simpson did not specify exact damages but there will be a payout of approximately $213,000 in damages and compensation for loss of income for the rest of his life, to be paid in a lump sum.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21726542-601,00.html

What do you guys think?
Should the state government be liable for bullying in schools to this extent? So you think the damage is exagerated?

 

[WWJD_2005]

I hate commenting on cases based on articles written up in newspapers, seriously.

 

[BritneySpears]

It will only be fair if half of it was paid by his bully and half of it by his teachers. I dont see why tax payers should be the ones who are actually punished for the fault of those people.

 

[undalay]

oh please, the bullying was in primary. The kids don't have a clue whats going on, its up to the teachers and adults to keep everything in check.

 

[iamsickofyear12]

Have you seen a picture of this kid... no wonder he was bullied. This whole thing is ridiculous.... this fat loser just needs to toughen up get on with his pathetic life. He shouldn't be getting any money at all.

 

[Gavvvvvin]

The fat shits probably just gonna get beat up more for his lunch money now.

 

[Nebuchanezzar]

Have you seen a picture of this kid... no wonder he was bullied. This whole thing is ridiculous.... this fat loser just needs to toughen up get on with his pathetic life. He shouldn't be getting any money at all.

there is a certain art to trolling. you fail at this art.

 

[lengy]

He's not trolling though.

 

[iamsickofyear12]

there is a certain art to trolling. you fail at this art.

Not trolling... this is just my opinion.

 

[MaNiElla]

i think that he doesnt really deserve $1M, because everyone gets bullied in some stage of their life. On the other hand, the people who bullied him deserve to be punished, they need to be taught not to act superior and they dont have the right to bully anyone no matter how fat, stupid, ugly they are.

 

[BritneySpears]

He was definitely NOT FAT by all measures in his primary school picture. Yes I saw his picture on Australia's Top Current Affairs show Today Tonight.

 

[iamsickofyear12]

they dont have the right to bully anyone no matter how fat, stupid, ugly they are.

I disagree. Fat morons deserve to be bullied.. They need to be bullied. We can't let people think that being fat and stupid is acceptable in society. It is not.

 

[WWJD_2005]

I disagree. Fat morons deserve to be bullied.. They need to be bullied. We can't let people think that being fat and stupid is acceptable in society. It is not.

You're pretty shit yourself man, to be fair to the fat and stupid.

 

[MaNiElla]

I disagree. Fat morons deserve to be bullied.. They need to be bullied. We can't let people think that being fat and stupid is acceptable in society. It is not.

no they dont, if you think that they are not accepted in society, you can give them some sort of advice or something so that they can watch out for themselves, or you could recomend a doctor, psycologist, etc. Bullying wont do them or you any good.

 

[BritneySpears]

Actually being FAT is considered beautiful and glamorous in certain countries such as Fiji and Solomon Islands and most 3rd world countries. To them it means you are rich and can afford enough food to eat. It's not all that bad for fat people.

 

[iamsickofyear12]

no they dont, if you think that they are not accepted in society, you can give them some sort of advice or something so that they can watch out for themselves, or you could recomend a doctor, psycologist, etc. Bullying wont do them or you any good.

I consider bullying to be much more effective.

Actually being FAT is considered beautiful and glamorous in certain countries such as Fiji and Solomon Islands and most 3rd world countries. To them it means you are rich and can afford enough food to eat. It's not all that bad for fat people.

In Australia it means you are a loser.

 

[Serius]

Meh iam conflicted on this. Small amounts of bullying never hurt anyone and it does build character, the idea is he will toughen up and learn to deal with his own problems instead of hiding behind mummy's skirt. Personally if it was me, i would have tried to fight him[which i did in primary school due to a bullying incident] if that didnt solve it, or i lost and was humiliated, i would have brought friends along the next time. If that didnt work, its time to bring a bat to school, or start fighting back in subversive ways like finding out where the bully lives, cutting his dogs head off and sticking it in the mailbox. Bullys arent tough if you fight back, and fighting back teaches you the skills you need to survive in life.

This case though, either the kid was particularly mentally weak, or the bully was incredibly effective. If my son ever gets bullied iam going to tell him to harden the fuck up and sort out his own problems like a man[and if that doesnt work, i will walk up to the bullys father and deck him, either way the message is getting through]

Does he deserve the money? probably not. Sueing people isnt really the australian way...but i guess the school should have done something rather than let it escelate.

 

[BritneySpears]

In Australia it means you are a loser.

• 517 women per 1,000 population were overweight or obese in Australia 1999-2000 (Australia’s Health 2004, AIHW)
• 673 men per 1,000 population were overweight or obese in Australia 1999-2000 (Australia’s Health 2004, AIHW)

http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/o/overweight/stats.htm
Australians are a bunch of losers then eh? LOL

 

[Gavvvvvin]

Just the morbidly obese ones.

 

[iamsickofyear12]

Bullys arent tough if you fight back, and fighting back teaches you the skills you need to survive in life.

That is exactly right. One afternoon I got sick of putting up with this guy at school so I hit him as hard as I could in the face. He never bothered me again after that. I don't think he even talked to me at all for about a year afterwards.