The school a 12-year-old girl attended until she tragically took her own life has since received a number of complaints from former pupils and parents who claim the college has a “history of bullying and cover-up”.
Charlotte O’Brien, a year seven student at Santa Sabina College in Strathfield, in Sydney’s inner west, took her own life earlier this month after two years of misery in which she said her peers had used confidential information to bully her.
Her mother Kelly and stepfather Mat told Ben Fordham on 2GB on Monday they were disappointed by the school’s response to Charlotte’s death.
Mat said the couple had yet to hear directly from Santa Sabina despite principal Paulina Skerman jumping to defend the school’s bullying policy earlier this month.
“Aside from the response from the community at large, I have been disappointed, to say the least, with the response that has come from the school,” he said.
Fordham revealed Tuesday that she had received several complaints of bullying from former Santa Sabina students since she covered the story on her show.
‘We are not suggesting that this school is worse than any other school that is dealing with this growing problem. But to help Colegio Santa Sabina, we are going to share the records that we have kept over the last week,’ she said.
Fordham noted that most of the complaints came from students who attended the school before Skerman took over as principal in 2020.
Santa Sabina College (pictured) in Strathfield, in Sydney’s inner west, is a single-sex Catholic school for girls in Years 5 to 12.
Charlotte O’Brien (pictured) tragically took her own life after saying persistent bullying by her classmates was making her school life a living hell.
One woman, who asked to remain anonymous, told the programme that “like Charlotte, I was bullied to the point where I felt my life was no longer worth living.”
“My parents and I raised the issue with the school several times, asking for help, but nothing was ever done,” she continued.
‘The school seemed more intent on helping the bullies than the victims. They turned a blind eye to the torment I was facing.
‘The worst part of the experience was the overwhelming betrayal. Children like Charlotte and I were failed by the people who were supposed to protect us.
‘It takes an incredible amount of courage to reach out and seek help, especially when you’re drowning in despair. When that cry for help is ignored it makes you feel helpless, as if your suffering is invisible and your pain doesn’t matter.’
Another former student, Ellie, said she felt sick to her stomach after hearing the school had an anti-bullying policy.
“That’s the same response my parents received when I was bullied at Santa Sabina College, clearly nothing has changed,” she said.
Former student Maddie said bullying issues were “always swept under the rug.”
‘I have been bullied, my closest friends have been bullied, all by Santa Sabina students. Two years after graduating, to find out that they still don’t take bullying seriously infuriates me deeply.’
Charlotte’s parents said they were ‘disappointed’ by Santa Sabina’s response
A former mother said her daughter was bullied from Year 7 to Year 10 at Santa Sabina and nearly took her own life because of it.
She said her daughter, who is in her 20s, is still in therapy for it.
“What we’re doing doesn’t work when a 12-year-old child thinks suicide is the best option,” the mother told 2GB.
“This poor girl’s suicide has greatly affected my daughter and our family.”
Another parent said she felt “helpless” after being told her trusted school was “expert” in dealing with peer bullying.
“Our daughter also went to see Santa and had some bullying issues to begin with,” another parent told Fordham.
‘We helped her through it and she got through it, but the school was absolutely hopeless and not helpful at all.
“Please extend our condolences to Charlotte’s parents.”
“My friend took her daughter out last year,” wrote another listener.
“The stories my friend told me were crazy.”
Another former student said the school “had a history of bullying and covering up.”
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Ms Skerman regarding the new claims.
Fordham noted that most of the complaints came from students who attended St. Sabina before Paulina Skerman (pictured) took over as principal in 2020.
Earlier this month, Ms Skerman defended Santa Sabina’s handling of harassment, saying its anti-bullying policy was available on its website.
‘Last week, I was overwhelmed by the number of emails and messages from our families who speak of their children feeling safe and cared for at Santa Sabina College, and who take issue with the portrayal of our College as incapable of addressing issues that cause distress among our students,’ he said in a statement.
‘Our students and families are highly informed about the policy and procedures for reporting and resolving matters of concern, and clearly demonstrate the College’s approach to quickly and appropriately addressing any concerns raised.
‘At the very heart of who we are as a Dominican Catholic school are the gospel values of love, compassion and inclusion.
‘To say that there is a culture of harassment at the university goes against the very fabric that holds our community together.
‘All members of staff at the school hold the care of your child close to our hearts and this has been reflected in the number of messages I have received from our families.
“We continue to work with our children to educate them on how to report serious matters and develop strategies to manage the complexities that life invariably presents.”
