The current anti-bullying policies in NSW government schools simply don't work. I know this from personal experience as one of my children was forced to leave their school due to severe and sustained bullying over a 12-month period.

Despite the school principals being fully aware of the seriousness and frequency of the bullying, expulsion of the offenders was never considered. I suspect because the responsibility of finding alternative education for these bullies falls on the school rather than the parents of the bullies. 

So, the school was limited to 'talks' with the bullies and their parents, and the occasional two-day suspension. This didn't work; in fact, it made things worse. 

This is not an isolated occurrence. Countless other children face similar situations daily. Research indicates that one in four Year 4-9 Australian students (27.4%) report being bullied every few weeks (Cross, D. (2009)). This is a staggering statistic that underscores the urgency of our demand for change. 

Victims of serious bullying often end up missing out on large parts of their education, having to change schools and make new friends, and they carry the scars of these negative experiences with them for life.  Now is the time for much stronger anti-bullying policies, with the option of real consequences for serial bullies. 

Bullying in schools started being taken seriously 30 years ago, but the effectiveness of these anti-bullying programs is questionable. One prevention program 'Friendly Schools' has been extensively studied and focuses on positive self-esteem, empathy, socials skills and conflict resolution. Results of this program shows a moderate change in the number of victims, but no real reduction in the number of bullies - so it's clear that this approach alone is not enough. 

We are calling for the implementation of a "Three Strikes, You're Out" policy in New South Wales (NSW) schools to hold bullies accountable. Under this new policy, any student proven to be guilty of bullying three times within a 12-month period should be expelled and the responsibility of finding alternative schooling to fall on their parents. This potential consequence is meant to serve as a deterrent, therefore creating safer, more supportive learning environments for our children. 

Our children's welfare and their right to learn in a safe environment should never be compromised by bullying. Together, let's hold bullies accountable and demand a change in policy to better protect our kids.

Please sign this petition and join the fight against bullying in our schools.