Parents of expelled Saltus students hope to appeal the school’s decision before board of trustees chairman Will Cox.Eight secondary pupils were expelled after a student ended up in hospital because of “birthday punches” administered on December 16. The mother of one of the expelled students said yesterday: “I think, based on principle, that a lot of parents are very upset on how this has been handled.“It’s probably good for us as parents to make an appeal, and I know that other parents are very interested in meeting with Mr Cox as well.”She said Mr Cox has been off the Island but has indicated they can meet next week.The December 16 incident saw a 14-year-old boy treated at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital for a fractured rib, moderate concussion and severe bruising.Two year 11 boys and six year ten boys are said to have administered the punches.Some of their parents have complained that they were notified their sons had been expelled by phone. The Royal Gazette understands “several” plan to appeal the decision.Birthday punches or “bumps” had been common practice in schools since her childhood, the mother told this newspaper.“On my son’s birthday in September he came home saying, ‘I got my birthday bumps today’. I said he and his friends needed to grow up.“We had a picture of the bruises on my son’s arm, and when we met with the headmaster to discuss my son’s future I showed it to him, but he said my son should have known better than to do it to someone else.”Saltus headmaster Ted Staunton sent a letter to parents this week explaining why the students had been expelled.He said the school devoted a week in October to anti-bullying workshops and had made it clear that “birthday punches” and other such practices would not be tolerated.