Netizens call for sterner action on school bullies

A video circulating online depicting several Montfort Secondary School students physically assaulting a fellow student in the school canteen has sparked outrage among netizens, with many calling for harsher punishments for the bullies.

The school's vice-principal, Mr Wilson Tay, told CNA that the school was aware of the incident and that it had "taken appropriate disciplinary actions on the students involved".

Details of the disciplinary actions were not shared.

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

The video - originally posted to Facebook by user Jonden Chan on Feb 22 - shows the victim being repeatedly pushed and kicked to the ground while other students cheer and encourage the aggressors.

Although the timing of the incident remains unclear, the footage has quickly gained traction on social media, igniting a heated debate on how schools should handle bullying.

The video has since been made private.

Mothership, which first reported on the incident, subsequently posted the video on its TikTok account.

In the comments section of this TikTok post, netizens advocated for stricter disciplinary measures, with one user stating, "These bullies need public caning."

Others expressed frustration with the perceived inaction of schools, urging parents to take matters into their own hands.

One commenter wrote: "Parents, please take action. Don't depend on the school to take action - they won't bother."

Another added: "Schools only give warnings to kids and never inform their parents how the children behave. This won't help both kids."

The call for harsher punishments points to a perceived disconnect between public sentiment and current school disciplinary practices.

While the MOE website states that "Caning is a disciplinary option for boys only, and for serious offences as a last resort, when absolutely necessary", the reality is that caning is rarely, if ever, used in schools today.

On Reddit, several users expressed their frustration with the situation, with some suggesting that the victim should have fought back.

One user wrote: "I will tell my son: Fight back! Punch him to a pulp."

Another commented: "I wish the boy fought back. This kind of one-sided bullying surely swept under the rug with just a warning."

The sentiment of holding parents accountable was also present, with one user stating, "Parents should be held responsible for these."

Similar calls for stronger action, including suspensions for the bullies and greater parental involvement, also appeared in the comments section of The Straits Times Facebook post about the incident.

One commenter emphasised: "Students need to be suspended at least. Let their parents do the proper teaching at home first."

Others proposed more systemic changes, such as publishing punishments, implementing uniform disciplinary actions across schools, and involving the police in cases of recalcitrant bullies.

One commenter went further to suggest involving the victim's parents in determining appropriate punishment and providing them with evidence to assist in potential civil lawsuits.

This incident follows a series of bullying cases that have sparked public debate and parliamentary discussion.

In October 2024, during a parliamentary session addressing similar incidents involving a Qihua Primary School pupil and a Bukit View Secondary School student, Education Minister Chan Chun Sing reassured Parliament that the MOE is committed to student safety.

"Students are today much more confident and willing and able to come forward and tell us what they have experienced," stated Mr Chan.

However, a TNP survey at the time revealed a significant discrepancy between reported bullying cases and the actual experiences of students, with many victims choosing not to report incidents due to fear, shame, and a perceived lack of effective intervention.

More recently, on Feb 4, 2025, Mr Chan again addressed bullying incidents in Parliament after a 12-year-old student from a secondary school at Woodlands was injured when his classmate struck him on the head with a plastic water bottle.

Mr Chan cautioned against online vigilantism and emphasised the need to trust educators in handling such matters.

"He who shouts the loudest and fastest may not be the most innocent nor most accurate," he warned. "We are our children's role models - if we act like bullies, online or offline, they will too," he said.