By LACHLAN MOORHEAD
THE Acting Principal of Kambrya College has defended one of her staff members after a media report stated that they had deflated a student’s bike tyre who was riding without a helmet.
In a statement, the Berwick’s school’s Acting Principal Joanne Wastle said she felt the situation was handled appropriately
and backed the assistant principal’s actions.
“I feel the steps taken were reasonable to ensure that the student had the opportunity to get home safely in the absence of him having a bicycle helmet,” Ms Wastle said.
On Tuesday, the Daily Mail website reported that an assistant principal at Kambrya College let the air out of 15-year-old Maverick’s rear bike tyre with a pen because he wasn’t wearing a helmet and was about to ride home.
In a letter to the Australian Cycle Alliance, Maverick’s mum, Kerry, slammed the assistant principal for an “abuse of power”.
“I find it incredible that the assistant principal took it upon himself to vandalise my son’s bike,” Kerry wrote.
“I feel it is also an act of bullying to a 15-year-old boy as this was carried out in front of a number of other students.
“This appears to be a blatant misuse of position and abuse of power.”
Ms Wastle said Kambrya had spoken with the student’s father at the time and “he agreed with our actions”.
“A reminder regarding the expectation that all students wear bicycle helmets was included in the principal’s message to all parents in the college newsletter, which was distributed to all parents on Friday 4 March 2016,” Ms Wastle said.
