‘This case has been hard’: Yipirinya School breaks silence on ex-principal Gavin Morris guilty verdict
A Northern Territory school says it’s undergone a ‘significant transformation’ after a former principal was found guilty on four counts of assaulting students during his tenure.
Following former principal Gavin Morris being found guilty on four out five counts of aggravated assault against students during his tenure as school leader, Yipirinya School has broken its silence about the verdict.
In a community notice posted on Facebook and signed by current Yipirinya principal Justin Colley, he said the verdict relates to “events that happened under a previous leadership between 2021 and 2024 and does not reflect the values, culture, or current practices of Yipirinya School today”.
“Over the past 12 months, we have seen a great turnaround, the school has made significant progress in making the school a safe place for its students and staff, focusing on whole-school safety and wellbeing, teaching and learning, and improved community trust,” Mr Colley’s statement said.
“Yipirinya School would like to use this opportunity to recognise the strength, spirit, and bravery of the students, families, and communities affected by the recent court case involving a past principal.
“Their courage throughout this time is something we deeply admire and respect.”
Mr Colley said the school has undergone a “complete transformation” under the current leadership team, with positive results evident after a challenging year.
“Child safety, wellbeing, quality education, and the learning of language and culture sit at the heart of everything we do,” the statement reads.
“We have introduced and strengthened staff training and built a school culture grounded in respect, care, and accountability.
“We know this case has been hard for many in our community, and we want to say that our focus remains on making sure that every child continues to learn in a safe, supportive, and culturally strong environment.
“Yipirinya School will always be here: standing strong to help Aboriginal children thrive in quality education and cultural strength.
“We’re proud of how far our students, families, and staff have come, and we’ll keep working hard to build a strong future for Yipirinya.”
Yipirinya School, based in Alice Springs, specialises in educating local Indigenous children in local First Nations languages.
On June 26, Stuart Reid was appointed as statutory manager to the school.
Mr Colley was contacted for further comment, and directed this masthead to Mr Reid, who was also contacted for comment.
Morris was found guilty of four of the assaults by Judge Anthony Hopkins in the Alice Springs Local Court on October 15.
He is currently out on bail, and will be back in court December 8 for his sentencing.
Morris was arrested August last year for the assaults, and in September this year a two-week judge only hearing took place.
During the hearing, children gave evidence of the assaults, with Judge Hopkins siding with their accounts when delivering his verdict.
Judge Hopkins found Morris guilty of choking a child, dragging another two by the ears, and putting another in a headlock.
The children – students at Yipirinya School when Morris was principal – were aged 12, 8, 9, 12.
Morris was found not guilty on the fifth count of aggravated assault against a 13-year-old boy.
Morris was also a sitting councillor on the Alice Springs council until March this year when he resigned.
Originally published as ‘This case has been hard’: Yipirinya School breaks silence on ex-principal Gavin Morris guilty verdict
