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Home / World

Bullies caught in ‘cruel’ act against disabled boy in school playground

By Rebekah Scanlan
news.com.au·
26 Oct, 2022 04:42 AM2 mins to read

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A video of a disabled boy sobbing while a group of school bullies forcibly shaved his head has sparked outrage online. Photo / Facebook

A video of a disabled boy sobbing while a group of school bullies forcibly shaved his head has sparked outrage online. Photo / Facebook

A video of a disabled boy sobbing while a group of school bullies forcibly shaved his head has sparked outrage online.

The heartbreaking clip shows the boy, a student at Arvin High School in California, on his knees in a school corridor wiping away tears with his blue t-shirt.

Despite being visibly traumatised by his hair being hacked away, leaving bald patches on his head, onlookers fail to step in and stop the attack – instead filming the horrific incident on their mobile phones.

When the footage leaked online, parents at the school were left “disgusted” by what happened, calling on the school to take action.

Arvin High School, in California, has launched an investigation over the incident, stating it “does not condone” bullying and reassuring parents “disciplinary action” will be taken against the children involved.

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A video showing a group of bullies forcing a disabled boy to have his head shaved has gone viral. Photo / Facebook
A video showing a group of bullies forcing a disabled boy to have his head shaved has gone viral. Photo / Facebook

However, the clip has since blown up on social media, prompting further outcry.

“This happened in Arvin High school in California! [The boy] in the blue shirt has a disability, got a haircut on campus that left patches and bald spots from the bully,” one angry woman wrote.

“Those kids that are taking videos, laughing at him, mocking him, telling him do not cry, didn’t do ABSOLUTELY nothing to STOP IT.

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“Do you know what’s the saddest thing in the video? If you see a guy wearing a yellow shirt, that is a security guard from school that is witnessed everything and laughing. Didn’t do anything!”

At one point he can be seen wiping away his tears with his T-shirt. Photo / Facebook
At one point he can be seen wiping away his tears with his T-shirt. Photo / Facebook

“Bullying is real the sadness and madness and anger I feel for this incident,” another mum shared.

As one said: “This is so undeniably heartbreaking, those bullies should be punished.”

One anti-bullying organisation described the behaviour in the video as cruel and sadistic.

pic.twitter.com/3jvtNeOE29

— Arvin High School (@ArvinHigh) October 21, 2022


A spokesperson for the high school said they were “aware” of the video circulating on social media, and described the “behaviour exhibited in the video is clearly unacceptable”.

“When students breach the boundaries of acceptable behaviour, they will be held accountable for their actions, and the school will provide support to any affected student.

“The incident is being thoroughly investigated, and appropriate disciplinary actions will be taken.”

However many believed this “wasn’t good enough” organising a protest at the school in the name of “justice” for the boy.


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