In reversal, high school says student who killed himself was bullied

Taipei, Feb. 17 (CNA) A student at a Taichung high school who committed suicide in February 2023 was bullied by school officials, the school said Saturday, reversing its previous findings after the student's father asked that the case be reinvestigated.

In a statement, Feng Yuan Senior High School said its latest investigation found that four staff members -- the director of student affairs, the chief military instructor, and two safety instructors -- bullied a student, who killed himself on Feb. 18, 2023.

That contradicted the school's previous conclusions that while the staff members had caused harm to the student, their actions had not amounted to bullying.

According to the student's father, his son was subjected to months-long bullying by the staff members, who singled him out and frequently searched his belongings or framed him for misdeeds he did not commit.

The father said this resulted in his son's suicide, yet the school's investigations focused narrowly on the issue of bullying without ever linking the behavior of the staff members to the student's death.

The high school completed its first report on the case in April 2023 in which it concluded that the staff members had subjected the student to "improper discipline," which caused him "physical and mental harm."

A second report, focusing on whether or not the staff members had bullied the student, was submitted to the Taichung Education Bureau in June 2023.

The bureau rejected it and demanded revisions on the grounds that it lacked sufficient detail.

The school's revised report, submitted in August 2023, concluded that its staff members' behavior toward the student did not constitute bullying.

Once again the Education Bureau rejected the report, calling the school's findings "completely unacceptable," and it suspended the director of student affairs, Chang Ching-hsiang (張景翔), for one year.

The student's father then requested another investigation, and Chang was given a second one-year suspension by the school Saturday, after the latest probe concluded that the director was responsible for bullying the boy.

As for the other staff members involved, the safety instructors resigned in September 2023 while the chief military instructor was removed, according to the bureau Saturday.

The Humanistic Education Foundation cited the boy's father Saturday as saying that the most recent report acknowledged the boy was being bullied and treated unfairly at school, and it was unacceptable that the director of student affairs still only got a one-year suspension.

The father said he will discuss the situation with his lawyer after receiving the new report, according to the foundation.

Meanwhile, the bureau said it will continue to work on establishing a safe and friendly learning environment for students.

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