Over the past six to nine months there has been a disturbing increase in the number of children being bullied at school. Parents are at their wits’ end. Educators, heads of school and governing body members are aware of these problems in their schools and simply do not know how to address them. They, too, are at their wits’ end. The statistics are frightening.

At the outset and before delving into the matter at hand, contracting parties are reminded that the principle of pacta sunt servanda (agreements must be kept) applies unless the contract offends public policy.

In light of the recent tragedy in which a 13 year old girl from Pretoria North took her own life after reportedly being bullied in a WhatsApp group, Martin Bester from Jacaranda FM spoke with Megan Harrington-Johnson about the legal consequences of bullying.

Five mornings out of seven every week, thousands of parents send their children off to school. What a parent is never prepared for is the child not returning later that afternoon. The recent tragedy at Hoërskool Driehoek, where a walkway in the school collapsed – claiming 4 lives and wounding 20 other scholars has led to many questions arising pertaining to who is legally responsible for the lives of children whilst they are at school.

Megan Harrington Johnson gives legal comment on the legalities pertaining to marijuana usage by teens in January’s edition of Your Family Magazine.