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A 13-year-old boy remains hospitalized at Makarios Hospital after suffering multiple injuries in what appears to be the latest in a string of violent assaults at his school.
The boy’s father, Panayiotis Chatzichristodoulou, says his son has endured repeated bullying and physical attacks since the start of the school year, despite assurances from the school that “the child is safe.” Speaking on the program Alpha Enimerosi, Chatzichristodoulou said the first incident happened on just the second day of classes, and that he learned of it not from teachers or administrators, but from the victim’s twin brother.
Two weeks later, another attack was filmed by classmates and circulated on social media. The father filed a formal complaint with police after that incident.
Recalling the most recent assault, Chatzichristodoulou described the moment he received a call from his son at 9:05 a.m. on Tuesday:
“Dad, come quickly. They’ve hit my brother.”
He rushed to the school, summoned police, and began searching for his injured child. He eventually found him being escorted out of a classroom by a teacher, bruised and shaken.
“This wasn’t just a scuffle,” the father said. “He was kicked in the chest and neck, punched in the face. That’s not a fight. That’s an attack.”
Chatzichristodoulou said he never threatened anyone but admitted he was distraught. “Maybe I raised my voice,” he said. “Any parent would, seeing their child like that.”
Minister was aware
The father also revealed that Cyprus’s Minister of Education had been informed about the earlier incidents. “On September 12, the Minister visited the middle school my sons attend,” he said. “I spoke to her directly, explained my fears, and asked for measures to protect not only my kids but all students. She told me, ‘We’ll call you tomorrow to discuss it. The children are safe.’ That call never came.”
With information from 24news.
