Tracy Grimshaw’s emotional plea to Australia
Tracy Grimshaw has heard many emotional and troubling stories throughout her career and when the parents of Amy Jayne Everett, known as Dolly, shared what happened to their daughter, it left a noticeable impact.
On Tuesday night, A Current Affair aired an interview with Dolly’s parents, Kate and Tick Everett, about how their daughter faced relentless bullying before she took her life in January.
Following the interview, Tracy made an emotional plea to Australia after reading the fierce online debate.
Looking straight into the lens of the camera, Tracy called on politicians to create a uniform system to tackle bullying and cyberbullying in Australian schools.
“Dolly was a clever, gregarious outback kid a long way from her Northern Territory home, trying to fit in at boarding school in Queensland,” she said.
“She was bullied.
“She got suspended a couple of times and ultimately developed an anxiety disorder which needed psychological treatment.
“A lot of you turned your comments on the bullies, but please remember that they are kids too - they all read social media.
“That’s a key point of this. It’s not for adults to get involved in a verbal pile-on against a bunch of schoolkids.
“The time for adults to address school bullying and cyberbullying is when it starts. It’s happening right now to hundreds of Australian kids and it’s happening in hundreds of schools.
“We know Dolly’s story has started you talking. It’s what Tick and Kate hoped for when they spoke up.
“I’ve had so many friends tell me about their own experiences navigating bullied kids through schools. I’ve read your comments on our social media pages about your kids and their schools.
“There are good stories and bad ones. And that’s the problem, isn’t it? There needs to be a uniform system that every Australian school adheres to for discipline and counselling if we are ever going to address bullying; one common protocol for discipline and counselling that every parent of either bully or victim and every teacher is committed to.”
On Wednesday, the Queensland boarding school that Dolly attended responded to claims it had failed in its duty of care to protect the 14-year-old from bullies.
Tracy questioned why the school reportedly refused to allow Dolly’s sister Meg to return this year and called out its principal for not agreeing to be interviewed on ACA.
“Dolly was sent to a private boarding school, her family were paying a school to take care of their daughter,” one person wrote on Facebook.
“Everyone — teachers, dorm mistresses, sports coaches, chaplains, even the school medical staff — are there to educate and nurture the students.
“The school and the bullies should be held accountable,” a second person posted.
Scots PGC principal Kyle Thompson was said to be spending time with upset students, following revelations of Dolly’s bullying before she took her life, reported The Australian.
In a statement issued to news.com.au, Mr Thompson said, “Our thoughts continue to be with Dolly’s family, friends and all those impacted by this tragic loss. Dolly’s passing has affected our community deeply.”
“During this time, we continue to focus on the welfare of our entire community and in particular, ensuring our students are provided with care and support.
“In addition to providing ongoing access to professional support services, we continue to follow guidelines established by leading authorities and mental health experts, such as Mindframe, Headspace and the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, as to how we communicate with our community during this time.
“We are conscious of the challenges and possible ongoing impact on other young people and families in regards to commenting on suicide.
“As the matter is also the subject of a Northern Territory Police investigation we must respect this process and therefore we are unable to make any further comment.”
Dolly’s parents are establishing an anti-bullying charity called Dolly’s Dream.
The foundation will focus on pursuing a national approach to bullying and cybersafety in schools.
If you are troubled by this article, experiencing a personal crisis or thinking about suicide, you can call Lifeline 131 114 or beyondblue 1300 224 636 or visit lifeline.org.au or beyondblue.org.au.