Representational image.

There has been a recent incident where some male senior students have rated their fellow female classmate’s appearances in terms that include the phrases “Cutie” and the repugnant term “Unrapeable”. The school suspended a number of boys and then expelled two. There was generally praise for this action although some argued for an approach of not removing the problem and trying to remedy it but this is a flawed approach.

There are repeated stories in many papers of people, often young, who are bailed, for acts of violence and destruction, and then go on to repeat their behaviour. Sometimes they should be held in custody, for the safety of the general population, until a court addresses the matter.

Surely people have a right to work and learn in a positive environment free from harassment of any form. The number of people who are this disruptive is small but their effects are big.  Perhaps the concept is best represented by a Star Trek quote “The Needs of the Many Outweigh the Needs of the Few.”

Dennis Fitzgerald,

Melbourne, Australia