Wednesday, 8 August, 2018
Pakenham
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/PakenhamBerwickGazette
Mum, bub in Monash brush with death
Carjack horror in the heart of Pakenham
Filthy over the state of schools
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Property Lift out
No walk in the park for Brad The respect that Bunyip favourite son Brad Walker has among the Gippsland footy community was clear to see on Saturday as his club celebrated his 200 senior games in the red, white and blue. His journey to the milestone has often been along the path less travelled. It took him through some harrowing turns, including a horror onfield clash 12 years ago that left him with a broken neck and fearing that, at 19, his career was over. But after two years out of the game, the inspiring Walker returned and in 2012 led the Yips to premiership glory as captain of the side that defeated famous rival Garfield at its own home ground in front of a mammoth crowd. For Walker’s full, remarkable, story, turn to Page 14 of the Football liftout. Brad Walker, with his son Darcy in tow, strides out to the middle as his Bulldog brethren celebrate his 200-game milestone. 183658 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS
School hits back Pakenham Secondary College has hit back at damning claims of widespread bullying in its schoolyard on national television news program Sunday Night. The Channel 7 program, aired on Sunday 5 August, followed the story of three former Pakenham Secondary College students who were involved in schoolyard fights that drew hundreds of views after they were uploaded onto social media. In the wake of that report, Bass MP Brian Paynter, a former student and school council president, has called for an independent in-
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vestigation into the claims. Year 8 students Sarah Newlassie, Jade Claffey and Mason Gapes and their parents appeared on the Channel 7 program to tell their side of the story. Channel 7 showed footage of the violencefuelled altercations. Despite airing the sides of all three bully victims, little opportunity was given to the school to speak to the claims made on national television. College principal Ray Squires said no effort was made by the news company to engage with him, with the exception of a 7am ‘am-
bush’ by the television crew and parents at the school on the first day of term. The school has since approached the Gazette for the chance to weigh in on the discussion. “This type of thing is a challenge that all schools face. Our school, like all schools, has processes in place to deal with these kinds of incidences,” principal Ray Squires said. “Clearly what happened was not acceptable; not here and not in society. And it certainly doesn’t match the school’s values and what we stand for. Continued to page 4
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College principal Ray Squires with students Euan, Sarah and Mehdi. 183748 Pictures: SUPPLIED
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