education in Australia

School's in, with 12 assaults every week | National News | News.com.au

School's in, with 12 assaults every week

By Karen Collier

Herald Sun

October 27, 2008 12:14am

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School assaults
Everyday event ... more than 12 assaults a week are being reported by Victoria state school, with knives and machetes among the weapons used on students and teachers.

* 12 assaults each week in Victorian shools
* They include a machete attack and stabbing
* Students, teachers and principal are victims

FRIGHTENED students, teachers and principals are reporting more than 12 assaults a week in Victoria's state schools.

Education Department records show 1227 allegations of assault involving state school students and staff have been filed in just over two school years. A further 247 sex abuse cases were alleged.

Prep students have been removed from classes following harassment complaints, and threatening gangs and intruders have triggered emergency lockdowns.

And 11 departmental employees have been accused of assaulting pupils.

Departmental records obtained under Freedom of Information reveal 890 reports of assaults on students at government schools, camps or excursions from 2006 to April this year.

Children as young as six were among the victims, and staff were on the receiving end 337 times.

The figures have spurred calls for upgraded protection, more parental control a
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nd extra welfare officers.

In the latest vicious attack last month, older invaders are said to have bashed several teenagers with a baseball bat at Keilor Downs Secondary College.

Other cases alleged include:

A BOY, 15, rushed to hospital after a machete attack and fight with a former pupil from Copperfield College, St Albans.

A GIRL, 14, stabbed in the stomach with a pocket knife while visiting North Geelong Secondary College.

A BOY, 14, treated for cracked ribs after bullying at Craigieburn Secondary College.

A YEAR 8 student gashed after being shoved through a window at Cranbourne Secondary College.

A GIRL who changed into the jumper of a rival school in the western suburbs before sneaking in and attacking a female student.

BRUTAL brawls and racial feuds filmed and posted on the internet.

ANGRY parents kicking or punching school staff.

Department spokeswoman Helen Stevanovich said values and drug education, and anti-bullying and peer support programs, aimed to counter conflict and promote safety.

But Victoria's Opposition Leader Ted Baillieu accused the Government of downplaying a disturbing problem. He said a vital police-in-schools initiative had been scrapped.

"School-aged children must understand that violence or bullying of any kind is unacceptable, and without suitable programs these incidents will continue to occur," he said.

Victorian Principals Association president Fred Ackerman said staff were taking more stress leave or retiring early, and parents and teachers needed to work together to tackle declining behaviour.

"Proper role-modelling has deteriorated over time, with parents either shirking responsibility or being time-poor. Society is now reaping the repercussions," he said.

"More kids seem to have an inability to deal with anger and are playing out what they see in society and films and TV," Mr Ackerman said.

He said schools were now more likely to report crime and were boosting safety through camera surveillance, high fences, visitor clearances and staff training to defuse conflict.

But the Herald Sun has been told some schools in areas with stretched police resources don't report all incidents because of poor response times.

Police handled a total of 8572 offences, including 502 assaults, in and around public and private schools, universities, TAFEs and other education locations last financial year.

This was a 16 per cent drop on five years ago.

There were 726 alleged crimes against the person, up from 636 in 2003-04. These included assaults, 17 rapes and 183 other sex offences.

Australian Education Union state president Mary Bluett said major assaults often involved intruders trying to "settle a score", but adopting US-style metal detectors would create a damaging climate of fear.

"Compared to the broader society, schools are peaceful," Ms Bluett said.