Protector of Citizens: Schools should also consider data on student behaviour
The Protector of Citizens, in the control investigation into the work of the competent authorities, initiated in connection with a fight between high school students in Obrenovac, concluded that in cases where students who commit peer violence leave school, it is necessary for the new schools they enrol in to continue working with the student for the purpose of adaptation and prevention of behavioral problems.
The Protector of Citizens, on his own initiative, and based on media information about peer violence at the "Buda Davidović" Technical High School in Obrenovac, initiated the control investigation into the legality and regularity of work of the Ministry of Education.
The Education Inspection then carried out extraordinary supervision over the actions of the school in this case and informed the Protector of Citizens that the school undertook activities from the Rulebook on the protocol for institution’s actions in response to violence, abuse and neglect, but that it did not fully implement the educational and disciplinary procedure because the student who committed the violence left school five days after the fight.
However, the school made a note in the student's drop-out form that educational and disciplinary proceedings had been initiated against him, and the Protector of Citizens believes that when the student continues his education in another institution, the professional associates at the new school should also consider the data on the student's previous education and behaviour and continue working with him to allow him to adapt and to prevent behavioral and learning problems.
The high-school in Obrenovac initiated disciplinary proceedings against all students who participated in the fight, those who observed the fight and those who filmed the fight and distributed the video, as well as against the student who was injured because it was determined that he was instigated by others student to participate in the fight, the Protector of Citizens determined.
The Protector of Citizens established from the submitted documentation that the two-day conflict between two students of the first grade of high-school in Obrenovac resulted in a fight in the park during a big break with the presence of a large number of students and that the fight ended when one student kicking another student in the head, who fell and fainted, after which he was transported to the Emergency Centre, and the police conducted an investigation with the presence of the professors.