Case Study – Farouk*
Farouk is 15 years old and in Year 9. Last year he came to Australia on a Humanitarian Visa with his parents, his older brother (17) and younger sister (12). He attends school with a number of young people from similar refugee backgrounds.
Farouk and the 12 other boys in his community eat and play soccer together during recess. Lately, Farouk and his friends have been involved in physical fights with another group of boys, resulting in suspensions for all those involved. School staff are feeling unsettled by the unsafe climate this is creating and have started to ‘double-up’ on yard duty in parts of the school where conflict has occurred.
Farouk has not said anything to his parents about what is happening at school. He feels that they are already under too much pressure with their new life in Australia and helping family members overseas. He knows that his dad has trouble sleeping ever since they fled the violent situation back home overseas. His older brother has dealt with the phone calls and paperwork regarding the suspensions.
In response to the schoolyard incidents, the year level coordinators have met separately with both groups of students. In the meeting with Farouk and his friends the coordinators asked them why the fights are happening. One of the boys replied: ‘We hate those guys.’ When the coordinator asked them why, one of the other boys indicated he and his friends would not tell. The coordinators directed them not to ‘hang out’ in such a large group and that if the violence continued, they would not be allowed to play soccer and would be at risk of ‘being expelled’. Farouk stormed out of the meeting, swearing loudly as he left.
Later, at his EAL class, the teacher noticed Farouk was upset and chatted with him one-on-one. Farouk explained the situation with the fights and the coordinators. He confided to the teacher that the boys they are fighting with are using racial slurs on a daily basis, not just toward him and his friends but his younger sister as well. However, Farouk did not want his teacher to pass on the information to anyone because he felt it will only bring more trouble for him and his friends.
*This fictional Case Study is an amalgamation of real characters and scenarios to facilitate professional learning.