The Internet doesn’t like bullies.
Neither does Tayla Sekhmet. That is why the 13-year-old from Dysart State High School in Queensland, Australia, alongside her mother Kali created a petition on Change.org to get her school to do something about it.
“I’m the most unpopular kid at school and people make my life a living hell,” Tayla writes in the petition.
“Every day people call me fatso, weirdo, ugly, freak, and tell me I should kill myself. I’ve been pushed to the ground. Had people go through my bag, or break my scooter when I rode it to school. Even people in other grades who I don’t know do these things to me too.”
One of most powerful petitions we've seen on https://t.co/A8aeRlzSKq-front page @couriermail https://t.co/y7VY75vq2z https://t.co/0HRmv3Xs2M
— Gary Nunn🏳️🌈🚴🏼 (@GaryNunn1) June 16, 2016
The student claims that the school hasn’t done anything to alleviate the situation, despite repeated complaints, calls and meetings.
“I have told teachers many times, my mum has called the school, and I have had school meetings,” she wrote. “None of this is helping. People tell me to ignore these people, but I can’t take it anymore. I don’t know what else to do or where else to go for help.”
As of Friday morning, the petition, which launched on Monday, has collected more than 55,000 signatures.
Tayla wrote that she would show the signatures to “my school and the Government to show them other people want to take a stand against bullying.”
A spokesperson from the Queensland Department of Education told Mashable Australia that bullying is “not tolerated” in their schools.
“Any situation that threatens the safety and wellbeing of students and teachers is treated seriously,” the spokesperson said.
“The school has been working closely with the family for some time to resolve their concerns … The principal is happy to meet with the family at any time if they have ongoing concerns.”
‘There needs to be a better policy’
Kali told the Brisbane Times that Tayla had been bullied since she started at the school and that she understands not everyone has a great time at school, but the language being used by students is “full on.”
The petition also aims to help other victims of bullying.
“There needs to be a better policy from the education department for dealing with bullying,” Kali said.
In an update on the petition Friday, Kali wrote that her daughter Tayla “cried” upon reading the comments of support.
“She couldn’t believe that so many people could care about —in her words — ‘a insignificant freak like me,'” Kali wrote.
“I know that you are all random strangers on the internet and we will never meet, but thank you from the bottom of my heart for signing this petition, because you have changed my daughter’s life forever.”
Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments or follow GoodThingsGuy on Facebook & Twitter to keep up to date with good news as it happens.
by 