Hard lessons: school fights pose legal minefield

Legal Aid WA has amped up its campaign to educate young people on the legal consequences of fighting at school. However, a social worker from WA Centre for Rural Health in Geraldton said we should also consider the bigger picture when aiming to address school violence. Last Thursday, Legal Aid released a series of fact sheets, infographics, videos and animations on its R U Legal? website to help educate school-aged children on the issue. Legal Aid WA solicitor Casey Johnston said it was important for young people and their parents to understand the legal consequences of being involved in a fight or sharing videos of fights online. “Something as simple as yelling ‘hit him’ can have legal consequences,” she said. Ms Johnston said she also wanted to warn young people of the damage a single punch could do. “Things can escalate really quickly and if somebody gets seriously injured, there can be lifelong consequences for the victim and the person throwing the punch,” she said. WA Centre for Rural Health social worker Lindi Peliwitz said a “collective effort” was required to reduce violence in schools. “If there is fighting in the home or in the community, there is a strong chance there will be fighting in schools. Humans are born to connect, and when children experience fighting and disunity, they cannot thrive,” she said. Ms Peliwitz said safe, loving and respectful environments were crucial. “We want to create a culture where children learn to resolve differences without needing to resort to violent or abusive behaviours,” she said.