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Johannesburg – The Deutsche Internationale Schule Johannesburg has said no to cupcakes for suicide teen Klara Göttert’s birthday celebration.
This comes after Liesl Göttert, whose 14-year-old daughter Klara jumped to her death from the roof of the Northgate Shopping centre in Johannesburg in August, requested to celebrate her daughter’s birthday on Friday by taking cupcakes to the school.
READ MORE: Missing teen girl found dead at Northgate mall
According to Göttert, the cupcakes were meant to “spread the sunshine” and help “create awareness” around suicide.
“I also wanted to thank her friends and the school for attending her funeral,” Göttert told News24.
However, to her dismay, the school declined to be part of the celebration.
In an e-mail sent to Göttert, the school said, “The unanimous view of the experts is that one should avoid the glorification of the victim… to prevent imitations.”
Surprised by response
Göttert said she was surprised by their response.
"This is actually an important issue; we don’t understand why the principal would say he doesn’t want to glorify the victims of the suicide. What we wanted to do was just to make sure that we raise awareness and also educate other pupils about suicide,” she said.
Göttert said she has cancelled the cupcakes idea.
“We have decided to have supper at home; her [Klara] friends and their families will come to the house and bring flowers. We will then dedicate the night to talking about Klara.
Asked for comment, Principal Thomas Bachmeier said the school community had only just begun to process Klara’s passing.
"The unanimous view of experts is that we have to do everything to prevent imitations."
He said his responsibility was to care for the over 1 100 learners at the school.
"Please accept that I therefore cannot comment on the activities of Mrs Göttert and our decisions in this regard."
