A former Brisbane Boys’ College (BBC) student is suing the $30,000-plus-a-year^[1] private school after being seriously injured in a banned game of ‘red rover’ during a lunch break in 2016.

A Statement of Claim, filed in the Supreme Court of Queensland, alleges the school breached its duty of care by failing to enforce its own playground safety rules despite a supervising teacher being present. 

The claim states that red rover – a game involving players running between safe zones and being caught by a grab or tackle to the ground – was prohibited in the school playground. The claim further alleges that the game escalated into a pile-on when more than 17 students were defending against just three attackers. 

One of those attackers, 12-year-old Deklyn Reid, was caught and tackled to the ground before other students landed on top of him, causing a significant hip injury. Mr Reid spent ten days in hospital and has required – and will continue to require – 

surgical, hospital, medical, pharmaceutical and allied health treatment while enduring ongoing pain and suffering as a result of the injury.

At 22, Mr Reid said the injury turned his life upside down. 

“I was a high-achieving student with strong sporting ambitions. The incident didn’t just derail my education, it altered the course of my future,” Mr Reid said.

“After the injury, it was a huge struggle, both physically and emotionally, and even now it’s impossible to measure the long-term impact. I was in my formative years, passionate about sport and my future. Then suddenly, I was forced into rehabilitation for a serious injury. 

“I couldn’t attend school anymore. I missed out on those crucial years for developing in sport, building friendships, and finding confidence as a young man. Instead, I lost my mates, I lost my self-belief, and I was left trying to piece myself back together.”

Professional rugby and the Australian Defence Force (ADF) were lifelong dreams for Mr Reid, shaped by family tradition and classmates’ success, but those doors closed after his injury.

“Some of my mates from BBC have gone on to play high-level sport and join the Defence Force. That was always my dream too, but it was taken away. It’s a painful reality to live with – knowing I’ve been denied a future I believe I could have had. The price has been incredibly costly – in ways I still have to carry with me every day.”

Mr Reid recalls feeling abandoned by the school community.

“What cut deep was the sense of abandonment by the school that I had proudly called home since Year 2,” Mr Reid said.

“I grew up in that school. I never missed anything. I was proud to be a BBC boy, and I wore the colours with pride – they were my family. But when I needed them the most, I felt like I was just left behind. The school sent a gift basket to the hospital, but that was it. The school motto ‘Men of Honour,’ was taught to us daily, yet in my moment of greatest need, I felt that value was not extended to me.”

Mr Reid said he will carry both the physical and emotional scars of the injury for years to come and hopes that by speaking out he can help drive change.

“My case should be a wake-up call for all schools. This is about ensuring that BBC are held accountable, which will provide me with a sense of closure. They are happy to take the money, but they also need to take real responsibility for student safety and stand by their students when things go wrong,” Mr Reid said.

The case comes at a time when courts are closely examining the responsibilities schools hold for student safety. A recent New South Wales Court of Appeal decision awarded more than $275,000 in compensation to a Year 6 student injured at Neutral Bay Public School, after finding the long jump pit should have been raked after every jump in line with Little Athletics safety guidelines (Stanberg v State of NSW [2025] NSWCA 127).

Travis Schultz, Managing Partner of Travis Schultz & Partners, who represents Mr Reid’s legal case, said the ruling highlights the high standard expected of schools.

“The recent decision in the NSW Court of Appeal has highlighted the non-delegable duty of care that schools owe to their students,” Mr Schultz said. 

“In Stanberg v State of NSW, the court found the school to have been negligent in failing to ensure that there was adequate sand in a long jump pit to be safely used, and in failing to rake it after every jump. The standard expected of schools is undoubtedly a high one, but that’s because they are responsible for looking after children of all ages with their still-developing mental acuity.

“I can’t comment on the specifics of Deklyn’s case while it is before the courts, but the pleadings highlight the need for school policies to not just be implemented but also enforced. The consequences of injuries in the playground can be lifelong.”

The school has filed a Defence to the claim, denying liability.

^[1] https://www.bbc.qld.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/20241107-2025-Domestic-School-Fees_Final.pdf