Blue Mountains Grammar School (BMGS) has recently come under intense scrutiny over its handling of bullying and harassment within its community. This issue has been highlighted by both internal policies and external petitions, reflecting a complex and multifaceted challenge for the school.
Anti-Harassment Policy Framework
BMGS has a comprehensive anti-harassment policy aimed at addressing various forms of mistreatment, harassment, and bullying. According to the policy:
- Mistreatment is defined as any act likely to cause physical, emotional, or psychological harm. This includes behaviours such as discrimination, exclusion, tormenting, and humiliation.
- Harassment is identified as repeated mistreatment over any timeframe.
- Bullying is specified as harassment where there is a real or perceived power imbalance. This can include physical strength, social status, or access to embarrassing information [Source: (Blue Mountains Grammar School)].
The policy emphasises the importance of creating a safe and supportive environment for all students and staff, promoting respect, and ensuring incidents are reported and addressed promptly.
Community Reactions and Criticism
The school’s stance on discrimination has drawn significant criticism, particularly following its decision to sign a letter to the Prime Minister alongside 33 other Anglican schools. This letter supports retaining the right to discriminate against LGBTQI students and staff, which has been perceived as contrary to the school’s stated values of inclusion and acceptance. A petition on Change.org highlighted these concerns, arguing that such a stance is damaging to the school’s reputation and the well-being of its community members:
Addressing Bullying Incidents
In addition to policy frameworks, BMGS has faced individual incidents that brought its anti-bullying measures into question. For example, a student(Aimee Clifton) claimed that bullying adversely affected their Higher School Certificate (HSC) results, leading to legal action against the school. This incident underscores the real-world impact of bullying and the challenges the school faces in effectively managing such situations.
Moving Forward
The ongoing discourse around bullying at BMGS highlights the need for continuous improvement and community engagement. The school has expressed a commitment to fostering a nurturing environment, but it must also ensure that its policies and practices align with the inclusive values it espouses. This involves not only enforcing existing policies but also listening to and addressing the concerns of students, parents, and staff.
In conclusion, while BMGS has established a robust framework to combat bullying and harassment, the reactions from the community indicate that more needs to be done to build trust and ensure that every member feels safe and valued. This will be crucial in maintaining the school’s reputation and providing a supportive environment for all.
