Rhys and Kira
Content Warning: These stories are about violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation and may include references to suicide or self-harming behaviours. They may contain graphic descriptions and strong language and may be distressing. Some narratives may be about First Nations people who have passed away. If you need support, please see Contact & support.
Rhys is autistic and has limited speech. Kira, his mother, told the Royal Commission that a few years ago Rhys was ‘subjected to terrible treatment’ by a teacher within an education support unit at a private school.
For example, as a punishment for yawning, a teacher would make him run around an oval, unsupervised, on days where the temperatures was more than 35 degrees.
He was also held in detention numerous times without his parents’ knowledge and despite never being identified as ‘non-compliant’.
Kira only found out about what was happening to Rhys when she received anonymous letters in the mail. Rhys was ‘too frightened’ to tell his parents.
Kira and her husband made official complaints to the school and then the governing body, but were ‘outnumbered and bullied’ at the meetings they attended. She found there was ‘no consideration for student wellbeing or evidence-based behavioural management methods’, and ignorance by management, ‘which flows onto the rest of the school’.
The school brought in an investigator to question parents, students and staff ‘to find out who was giving out information about cruel practices within the education support unit’. Kira felt intimidated during her interview, and feared for the staff member who had tipped her off.
Rhys’ parents took their complaint to the Australian Human Rights Commission. The school ‘backed down’ and agreed to implement the adjustments they had requested. One of those adjustments was for Rhys not to be exposed to the teacher in question.
But once school recommenced, the school refused to implement the conditions that were agreed to. By this time Rhys was ‘too frightened to attend school anymore’ and there was no choice but to transfer him to a TAFE disabilities program.
It was a terrible outcome for Rhys, Kira and the family. They were left ‘anxious and exhausted and unable to proceed further’.
Kira remains frustrated the school did not take Rhys’ anxiety issues seriously. As a result, she says, he ‘incurred severe psychological trauma’.
Further, his parents were charged full school fees for the six-month period when he didn’t attend. The school also refused to reimburse what they called ‘non-recoverable levies’. So Rhys’ parents paid thousands of dollars while Rhys ‘received nothing’.
Kira would like to see a response team to guide and advocate for victims and their families. She felt the school was powerful and ‘knew how to play the system’.
She believes they took non-refundable fees from them ‘with the full intention of not complying with our agreement’.
Kira said that Rhys has ‘communicated an overwhelming sense of injustice’.
Disclaimer: This is the story of a person who shared their personal experience with the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability through a submission or private session. The names in this story are pseudonyms. The person who shared this experience was not a witness and their account is not evidence. They did not take an oath or affirmation before providing the story. Nothing in this story constitutes a finding of the Royal Commission. Any views expressed are those of the person who shared their experience, not of the Royal Commission.