School attacked for fourth time

BUNDABERG State High School Science operations officer Keith Detenon is fed up with the vandals attacking school property.

North Bundaberg State High School principal Shirley Johnson is disgusted by the continual vandalism directed at school property. . Picture: Max Fleet

A PRINCIPAL is at the end of her tether after vandals smashed their way into her school for the fourth time this month.

North Bundaberg State High School principal Shirley Johnson said she was sick of break-ins, which upset the students and disrupted their education.

“It is a monstrous problem,” she said.

“We have had several fits of vandalism since the last school holidays.”

In the latest attack, overnight Monday, the offenders attacked three parts of the school, smashing windows in one room and pulling the fluorescent lights down to smash around the room.

“It’s like they used the fluoros as lightsabres,” Mrs Johnson said.

“There is glass everywhere from the lights and where they smashed the window. It looks like they used slingshots to break the windows.”

Damage was also done to other areas of the school.

“They have smashed the panes in the glass in the science block door,” she said.

“They have also damaged the O Block roof, where it looks like they were trying to move or break the air-conditioning unit.”

Mrs Johnson said the acts of vandalism affected the entire school community.

“The students don’t like it because they understand how much the damage costs to repair,” she said.

Mrs Johnson said the school already had electronic building alarms and regular patrols, but these would now be increased.

The principal said it was upsetting not only to have to fork out money to repair the damage, but also for the school day to be affected.

“These break-ins are an unnecessary disruption to the school day,” she said.

Bundaberg Police Sergeant Leisa Norton said investigations were ongoing.

Anyone with information on vandalism attacks at the school can call Bundaberg Police on 4153 9111 or Crime Stoppers anonymously on 1800 333000.

Originally published as School attacked for fourth time