It was the mention of one word that landed a schoolboy in trouble and led to him being suspended - "sigma" - and he wasn't talking about the '70s Chrysler car.
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The Catholic College Wodonga student, who has not been named, says his teacher overheard him uttering the word, which is internet slang for "lone wolf" or introvert, in conversation with other students.
What happened next shocked his parents - both Border professionals - who were telephoned by the college and told to pick up their son who had been suspended from school for a day.
Since the incident on May 7, The Border Mail has been told 15 other children have been suspended from the college for saying the word.
According to Wikipedia, sigma, from the Greek alphabet, is also a "pseudoscientific term used most to describe ... someone who is introverted and seeks to dominate themselves".
Some social workers, however, warned the term could sometimes be used in an "inappropriate sexual nature" and was linked to misogyny.
The 13-year-old boy's stepfather, Steve, said he and his partner were astonished their son was "punished for using a seemingly innocuous word".
"It's a term that students are not allowed to use, according to the school's year co-ordinator that rang my partner," he said.
"We were both shocked - it's bizarre. He didn't call anyone a 'sigma' he just used the word in conversation apparently out too loud and people, including his teacher, heard him say it."
The Border Mail put a series of questions to Catholic College Wodonga, including whether other children had been suspended for using saying "sigma", what college regulation was being broken in using the term and whether students had received a warnings over use of the word.
In response, Catholic College Wodonga principal Lorraine Willis told The Border Mail it was made clear to students that language that humiliates, defames or vilifies an individual was unacceptable.
"This includes language that targets an individual for their race, sexuality, gender or disability among other things," Mrs Willis said.
"When we have incidents of students engaging in language that does target individuals for these reasons, we respond in line with our policies.
"That was the case this week when we clearly stated our position to students around the standard expected with regard to language used at school."
"I believe that word can be used sometimes in an inappropriate sexual nature," he said. "It could potentially be more relative to male genitalia, if that makes sense.
"I don't know the context of what this boy said at the school but I can understand why the school would have a policy on this."
Another youth organisation worker said the term was linked to British-American influencer Andrew Tate, a self-proclaimed misogynist who has millions of followers on social media.
Steve said if his stepson had used offensive or racist language he would encourage any punishment.
"What are we turning our kids into? How confused are they going to be when they leave school? They send our kid home from school for using this word, a place that encourages children to identify as cats and dogs," he said.
"I could understand if he dropped the F-bomb or the C-word or called someone the N-word - but sigma? It's a '70s car, but it's also an internet slang word."
Mrs Willis said students who use language to target an individual with the intent to cause harm or humiliate someone "were responded to consistently".
"At the moment, as we know, there is significant discourse in society around language that is gender-based and is used to assert power," Mrs Willis said.
"Our role is to educate young people around the meaning and context associated with language, particularly when the origins or associations of the language may not be understood, and about the impact language can have on others.
"Our commitment is to providing an environment where all students and staff are safe and where learning can take place without interruption being caused by the use of disruptive language to derail that opportunity."
Laws introduced to Queensland parliament in March look to overhaul the disciplinary system used in schools following calls from experts that suspension should be used as a last resort.
