SA Education Minister fears ‘sense of shame’ and ‘embarrassment’ could stop students from reporting attacks

After explosive fight videos were revealed at an embattled school, the Education Minister has provided insight into why he believes a number of the attacks weren’t reported to police.

Education Minister Blair Boyer has revealed what he thinks may be preventing school kids from reporting attacks at a northern suburbs school to police.

Mr Boyer told ABC Radio Adelaide circumstances are likely to differ for each case at Golden Grove High School, as he confirmed at least 20 students have been suspended in response to the incidents.

But he said he feared a “greater sense of shame” and “embarrassment” could be holding them back.

“They might feel like if further action was taken from a police sense that it could make life more difficult for them at school,” he said.

“The sense of shame only grows each time it’s (the video) shown.

“It’s a disappointing situation if that is what is leading to these families to not want to take the matter further.”

Mr Boyer’s comments come as only one of several fights at the school that were made public late last month was reported to SAPOL – a revelation which appears at odds with information provided by the state government.

When the fights became public, Mr Boyer told The Advertiser and other media they expected all violent assaults fights to be reported to police.

Parents from the school said they have ongoing concerns, and the opposition has called for a review into what actually happened.

But the department and Mr Boyer stood firm, saying there was no difference between what they said on September 30, and what police later revealed despite admitting the only reason police knew about the fight videos is because they were provided to them by The Advertiser.

A SA Police spokeswoman confirmed only one fight of four they previously indicated they were “aware of” had actually been “reported”.

The fight understood to have been reported to police. Picture: Supplied

The fight understood to have been reported to police. Picture: Supplied

“Police did not initiate any investigations into the report as the parties wanted no police action,” she said.

“(Police) later initiated further inquiries with the school, students and parents following receipt of the videos (from The Advertiser).”

The fight, reported on September 20, is understood to have taken place between two larger male students - one who received a broken nose - as a small female teacher tried in vain to separate them.

When the story first broke, the Education Department provided a statement to The Advertiser indicating parents had been advised of their right to report their matter to police.

Hours later, Mr Boyer’s office scrambled to say he expected the school to report all such fights.

Two mothers speaking to The Advertiser under anonymity said they had concerns about the government’s handling with one labelling only one fight being reported as “disgusting”.

“Seems to me the leaders are … hoping things will quieten down during the school holidays and people will forget about it,” one said.

An Education Department spokeswoman told The Advertiser a separate fight, in which a Year 7 boy was assaulted, was being “investigated” by the school and the police.

The fight understood to have not been reported to police. Picture: Supplied

The fight understood to have not been reported to police. Picture: Supplied

After the a series of fight videos were made public, Education Minister Blair Boyer told The Advertiser the fights – which he described as “assault” – “in some instances warrants police intervention”.

“I expect that any reports or allegations of bullying are taken seriously and dealt with quickly as soon as school leadership is made aware,” he said.

Department chief executive Professor Martin Westwell described to The Advertiser when fights, in general, would be reported.

“When an incident involves criminal behaviour, parents are also advised of their right to report to police and are supported to do so,” he said.

That response indicated school-based assaults were only reported to police if the parents made such reports, but Mr Boyer’s office then called The Advertiser stating the school always referred serious fights to the police.

Mr Boyer then appeared on ABC Radio to further clarify what was meant, saying “in general”, not all fights would be reported to police if they were concluded not to breach a threshold of severity.

When asked if the videos made public were “matters for police” he said, “they are”.

Education Minister Blair Boyer. NCA NewsWire / David Mariuz

Education Department chief executive Martin Westwell. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Naomi Jellicoe

Mr Boyer was asked if he had confirmed with the school that they had reported the fights to police Mr Boyer said, “the department had already done that as it is expected to do”.

He was asked if he was saying the videos from Golden Grove had not met the department’s threshold for reporting to police, but he said, “no, I’m not saying that”.

In a response provided by the Education Department, a spokeswoman said they stood by the responses previously provided.

“There is no difference in what was advised to The Advertiser last week to what SAPOL advised,” she said.

“The videos were sent by The Advertiser to both the Education Department and SA Police on 29 September. This led to inquiries at the school by the police that day.

“On 29 September the departmental response to (The Advertiser) stated the incident in the toilets was being investigated by the school and the police.”

Mr Boyer provided a similar response.

“Police were making inquiries into these matters the day they were made aware (by The Advertiser), which is exactly what I said previously,” he said.

Opposition Education spokesman John Gardner said there was no doubt confusion about the fight debacle.

He called on the government to “urgently conduct a proper investigation” before the end of the school holidays.

“There is real confusion over these very distressing incidents, and the information provided by police certainly raises questions over statements made by the Minister,” he said.