A former student at St. Michael's College School in Toronto confused a colleague who spoke of the intimidation of the past



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TORONTO – Disturbing images posted in a private Facebook group for alumni of St. Michael's College School illustrate the type of culture that needs to change as a result of the badual badault charges that shook the School community, say former students and experts.

A former student posted a series of images seemingly making fun of the recent events that led six students to be charged with badual badault on a gang and apparently to shame those who spoke.

At an altered image of a battlefield, a photo of Kyle Fraser, a former student who spoke openly, spoke to the media last week about the bullying he had been a victim of as a result. Student at St. Mike's. An image of a broomstick seems to come out of her behind.

"St. Michael Archangel defends us on this day of battle," reads the article. St. Mike confirmed that it had been written by a graduate using a fake name.

Below Fraser's picture is a battle scene, the soldiers facing each other with bayonets ready to strike. The faces of former school principal, Greg Reeves, and other leaders and alumni have been added to one side. In opposition are the names of media organizations that reported the incidents.

When Fraser saw the picture of himself, he said, "Oh wow, there are a lot of people who hate it.It's clear that people can see the culture now if they could not see her before. "

Facebook

St. Michael's College School confirmed that the images had been posted by a former student under a false name. This image is a cropped version of the original message.

Earlier this month, a video on social media showed a teenager arrested in a locker room while he was being raped with what appears to be a broomstick. Another video shows another teenager in underwear placed in a large sink by other boys who throw water at him and slap him.

Police are investigating a total of six incidents at Toronto's prestigious private boys' school.

The publication in St. Mike's affiliated Facebook group on Saturday was removed but subsequently obtained by HuffPost Canada. The entry contained four other images, including biblical and cinematographic scenes tampered with, which seem to highlight Fraser's organizations and the media. Broom images have been added to almost all.

The images were quickly removed from the group, the badociation of St. Michael's College graduates, because it was "inappropriate and offensive," said the spokesperson of the school. the school, Michael De Pellegrin.

"It is untrue and unacceptable that anyone is a victim or victim again online." We immediately asked for his removal, and the person who posted it is compliant, "said De Pellegrin to HuffPost.

Facebook

This image was one of five of an article published on Facebook in a private group of alumni affiliated with St. Michael's College School. The message has since been deleted.

But the fact that the images have been posted, while the very united school community is striving to understand the disturbing allegations, shows what needs to change, said elders students and bullying experts.

"This is exactly the culture that led to this horrific incident in the first place, both shameful and humiliating," said Wendy Craig, director of psychology at Queen's University. "It highlights the power of keeping hazing and secret badaults, not only to the victims, but also to a culture that continues to hurt."

St. Mike's former student, Bill Dunphy, who, like Fraser, spoke out against the school's "toxic masculinity" culture, called the publications "insensitive and downright ugly". He is a member of the Facebook group and knew the pictures, but he asked HuffPost to make it clear that he had not leaked them.

In the days following the scandal, Dunphy said former students had discussed online media coverage.

"There was certainly a lot of anger and vitriolic commentary," Dunphy said, adding that it was not representative of all the alumni. "Frankly, alumni have posted some very thoughtful and hard-hitting messages, calling for change, there was one that suggested creating a heterobadual alliance." A number of people said it was a good one. idea."

These images show the real problem: there are not only two rogue children who have pushed too far. Jean-Paul Bédard, former student

St. Mike's alumnus, Jean-Paul Bedard, said the alumni shared the negative experiences they could have had at school and that they were in the process of "double" their efforts to defend their reputation.

Bedard, who is also a blogger from HuffPost Canada, is not a member of the alumni group in which the images were published, although he saw them.

"These images show the real problem: it's not just a few rogue kids who have pushed too far," Bédard said. "In reality, the people who are accountable are the administration and the faculty and, to a greater extent, the parents."

He said he was subjected to a violent hazing when he attended school in the 1980s. After publicizing his experience last week, Mr. Bedard said his social media had been "criticized with horrible comments", including references to brooms.

Andrew Francis Wallace / Getty Images

Kyle Fraser, former student of St. Michael's College School, poses at his family's home in Scarborough, Ontario. November 21, 2018.

Fraser is firmly committed to fighting bullying and is not discouraged by posting on Facebook or by any other negative comments that he has received.

"It's immature – I will not pay attention to those people who want to go unheard," said Fraser, who left St. Mike's after grade 10 due to bullying. "I do not want to let bullying happen to anyone else – I want the change to happen."

School officials resigned

The scandal began on November 12 when the school administration received the two videos. Reeves, the principal, did not immediately contact the police about the alleged badual badault, but rather launched an internal investigation and deported four students.

On November 14, police opened an investigation after hearing about the video describing the media broom attack. Six boys were charged with badual badault on a gang, badault and badual badault. Their identity is protected by the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

The following Monday, police investigated six incidents, four of which were captured on video.

Earlier on HuffPost: Toronto Police Expands Investigation

The school announced that it would conduct a cultural review by an "independent committee", which "will examine the traditions, rituals and social practices of students at all levels and in all areas of life. school".

Last week, Reeves and school president Jefferson Thompson resigned.

Confidential reports needed

School leaders must make it clear that there will be a cultural shift, said Jennifer Connolly, a psychology professor at the LaMarsh Center for Research on Children and Youth at York University. . Students, teachers, and parents must be involved in the changes, while recognizing that bullying takes many forms and varies in severity.

"When schools want to make changes, they have to pay attention to all the little behaviors that, when they are not supported, result in a cumulative effect in a climate conducive to horrible events," Connolly said.

It will be important for the school to establish a confidential means of reporting bullying and harbadment to students.

"Young people do not report bullying behaviors because they worry that if they talk about it, they themselves become a target," said Connolly.

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