A Boy Endured Bullying Without Retaliation... New Zealand Father Says "Proud"

New Zealand Father Releases Video of 14-Year-Old Son's School Bullying
Assault in School Bathroom, Some Students Cheered
"He Could Have Fought Back but Didn't... A Strong Child"

A parent in New Zealand has expressed pride that his high school son did not retaliate after being bullied at school, resonating quietly with many.

On the 2nd (local time), according to New Zealand local media such as Stuff, Mike Harvey, who lives in Richmond near Nelson, shared his story, saying he felt "heartbroken" upon hearing that his 14-year-old son was gang assaulted at school.

The details of the incident are as follows. Harvey's son was attacked by six other students in front of about 30 onlookers at school. Some students filmed the assault and spread the video to others via messaging apps.

After securing the video, Harvey decided to post it on his social media (SNS). The footage clearly showed his son being punched on the head and body by another student in the school bathroom block.

His son locked himself in the bathroom when the students chased him, but under continued intimidation, he opened the door and was assaulted by the kids. Some were even cheering while watching the assault.

He explained that "sometimes true shock is what is needed to bring about change," and that posting the video was the right decision. It appears he wanted to raise awareness about the school's response to the gang assault.

In response, Scott Haynes, the principal of the school, said, "As an educator and a father, I share the sadness and fear caused by this violence," adding, "The video was really hard to watch."

He stated, "This kind of incident is not common. The school does not tolerate any form of violence," and announced that official disciplinary procedures against the offending students would begin soon.

Harvey praised his son for standing up to the bullying and reporting the incident to the school immediately, especially for not using violence in return. He explained that his son grew up with a sister who has Down syndrome, which helped him develop empathy and kindness.

He added, "I am most proud that my son did not retaliate," saying, "He is a really strong kid. He could have fought back, but he showed self-control to stay true to his principles."

After Harvey’s interview was released, encouragement and support poured in across New Zealand, bringing issues such as school violence and cyberbullying into public discussion.

Leeann Ross, CCO (Chief Customer Officer) of the cybersecurity company NetSafe, emphasized, "The online sharing of content and cyberbullying have intensified the bullying problem that society has tried to eradicate for decades," adding, "Sharers should not be given any notoriety or any kind of social currency they seek."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.