NI grammar school suspends pupils for "repulsive" video mocking Down's syndrome

By Brett Campbell

Three year 11 pupils have been suspended from a Northern Ireland grammar school after a “repulsive and vile” video of them mocking people with Down’s syndrome went viral.

The drastic action was taken against the teenagers from Regent House in Newtownards after they decided to re-enact the opening scene of a National Lottery advert celebrating 25 years of supporting good causes.

It features three people living with the genetic disorder associated with physical growth delays and characteristic facial features.

The disgusting video was originally uploaded to social networking app TikTok by one of the two female who recorded themselves gleefully mocking disabled people while proudly wearing their school uniforms.

The accounted was deleted but has since re-appeared.

The video is now being shared online by furious parents around the UK to highlight the new and disturbing trend and has been viewed by almost 100,000 people since the weekend. 

A boy, aged between 14 and 15, also makes offensive face and hand gestures in the short clip that has been branded “disgusting” by thousands of irate social media users. 

“This is a repulsive and vile trend that needs stopping in its tracks right now,” one mother seeking to alert other parents wrote on Facebook. 

However the woman who has shared the video said those responsible need to be held to account for the "new low" as she asked “how many lives will suffer at their hands?”

A spokesperson for the school confirmed it has taken “all necessary and appropriate action” in relation to the incident, but refused to go into detail citing concerns over child welfare.

But Q Radio understands the pupils have been suspended. 

A spokesperson for the Down’s Syndrome Association branded the video as inexcusable.

“It is never acceptable to mock or troll anyone, for any reason,” they said.

The representative from the charity which has been supporting adults and children from Northern Ireland affected by the condition for 50 years – and has an office in Belfast - called on social media companies to take more responsibility for inappropriate content.

“Social media has done lots to raise the profile of people with Down’s syndrome, with the original National Lottery video a great example of inclusion and diversity,” they added.

“People with Down’s syndrome can and do live full and rewarding lives, and make a valuable contribution to our society.”

A spokesperson for the Regent House Grammar School insisted it is taking the matter “very seriously”.

“We encourage respect for everyone,” they said.

“We want our pupils to value everyone equally and encourage them to do this through our work in classrooms, our extracurricular programmes and through our carefully considered pastoral care provision.”

The Department of Education said it has been made been made aware of the shocking incident but is unable to comment on individual cases.

However a departmental spokesperson was keen to make it clear that “bullying of any form has no place in our schools”.

“All schools are required to have a discipline policy which should outline the behaviour it expects from pupils and the sanctions it will impose in relation to breaches of discipline,” they added.

“Legal responsibility for school discipline, including suspensions, is a matter for the school Principal and Board of Governors to ensure that any necessary actions are taken in line with their school’s policy and the relevant suspension and expulsion scheme.”

A spokesperson for the Camelot - which made created the advert to celebrate people living with Down's Syndrome - said it is trying to combat the online craze. 

"We are aware of the appalling and deeply offensive videos circulating on TikTok - and are working with our agency and TikTok to get all of the offending content removed as quickly as possible."