Australian Youth Sues Over School Abuse
Doug Case
THE MELBOURNE (AUSTRALIA) AGE, April 2, 1997
YOUTH SUES OVER SCHOOL ABUSE
by Louise Martin
A 14-year-old will today take legal action in Sydney against his former
school for alleged homosexual villification.
Christopher Tsakalos yesterday said he had been the victim of an
intolerable regimen of verbal and physical abuse by students at Penrith's
Cranebrook High School.
He said he had been bashed by gangs of up to 20 students, had had
scissors held at his throat and the family house had also been spray-painted
with homophobic graffiti.
Ms. Vicky Tsakalos said her son had endured three-and-a-half years of
"horrific trauma" and had attempted suicide three times.
Christopher left Cranebrook High School three weeks ago and has been
studying by correspondence.
Lawyers are preparing to serve a writ today on the New South Wales
Department of School Education, alleging it breached its duty of care.
A separate legal action will seek compensation from 50 students.
An assistant director-general of the NSW [New South Wales] department of
School Education, Mr. George Green, yesterday said senior officers fromt he
department had met Christopher and his mother to discuss his educational
future.
The legal action would have no effect on the department's support.
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THE MELBOURNE (AUSTRALIA) HERALD SUN, April 2, 1977
Box 1924R,Melbourne, Victoria, 3001, Australia.
(FAX.: + 61-3-9292-2944)(E-mail: hsed...@ozemail.com.au)
GAY STUDENT TO SUE SCHOOL
by Nicola Webber
A gay teenager claims he was regularly bashed, his home daubed with
anti-homosexual slogans and his telephone lines cut in a schoolyard-led
campaign of abuse over his sexuality.
Christopher Tsakalos, 14, is planning ground-braking [sic] legal action
against a Sydney high school that he says failed to protect him.
He yesterday said he was proud of who he was and did not want to change:
"I like the way I am and I can't change the way I walk, the way I act, the
way I talk because I've tried it before and I don't feel me."
"I'm not abnormal. I'm normal."
Christopher claims he was bashed by gangs of students and was called a
"faggot" and a "poofter" at Cranebrook High School in Sydney's outer west.
He left the Penrith school three weeks ago and is now studying by
correspondence.
He has tried to kill himself three times and is receiving counseling.
In a writ expected to be served today on the NSW Department of School
Education, he alleges the school breached its duty of care to provide a safe
environment for him.
His mother, Vicky Tsakalos, yesterday said she had been told there "is
no school where he can be guaranteed safety as an openly gay student."
"My son can't attend a normal school where he can go, have a normal
routine and be like otehr kids," she said.
Cranebrook High School principal Edith McNally could not be contacted
yesterday.
But the NSW Department of School Education yesterday said Christopher,
who has been to four schools in two years, had a history of poor attendance.
Acting director-general George Green also said his department was
working with Christopher and hoped to help him return to school.
"We hope that Chris and his mum get the best possible educational
outcome for him. We are investigating the allegations."
Mr. Green denied he told Mrs. Tsakalos there were other gay students who
had pulled out of school and were studying by correspondence.
"We talk about kids with a gender identification problem. At that age
we would not label a child in terms of their sexuality one way or another."
Christopher will also complain to the NSW Anti-Discrimination Board and
is considering criminal charges against some of the students involved in the
alleged assaults.
The Gay and Lesbian Teachers and Students Association has several other
students considering similar legal action.
Convener Derek Williams said Christopher would leave school unqualified,
unemployed and with no self-esteem.
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ABC Radio news (Australia) April 3, 1997
http://www.abc.net.au/
GAY STUDENT'S MOTHER DENIES MANIPULATION
The mother of a gay teenager who's suing his school for failing to protect
him from abuse, says the Gay and Lesbian Teachers and Students Association is
like a life support machine for her family.
New South Wales Department of School Education assistant director George
Green has questioned whether Christopher Tsakalos is being manipulated by
GaLTaS to further its own causes.
GaLTaS is helping Christopher in the legal challenge but Vicky Tsakalos
says any claims of manipulation are absolute rubbish.
She says she feels terrible that she and her son are phoning GaLTaS every
time something goes wrong.
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