Teachers’ Union, Education Department respond to Sunshine Coast school fight videos

A teaching union has vowed zero tolerance for schoolyard brawls after more shocking videos of fights at Sunshine Coast schools surface. Watch the video.

A teachers’ union has vowed action against school students brawling after another round of Sunshine Coast “fight videos” were shared online.

The videos, posted online by public Instagram accounts using the alias “Sunny Coast fights”, often depict students coming to blows on school property and in school uniform while other students watch on and film the incidents.

Violence in Queensland schools has recently become a major issue, after a Bundaberg school went into lockdown over a brawl between students.

In the most recent round of videos obtained by the Sunshine Coast Daily, a number of clips contain school girls getting violent with each other.

Teachers are rarely seen getting involved, but in an earlier video a teacher is seen shouting at two school girls to stop brawling in the schoolyard mid-fight.

Screenshots of videos of students brawling posted to Instagram.

A Queensland Teachers’ Union spokeswoman said the union backed suspending students as a last resort for physically fighting with each other to ensure “calm and safe spaces for teaching and learning”.

There was no “one size fits all” approach to negative behaviour, the spokeswoman said, and students with additional needs and from complex backgrounds needed more resources and support.

The spokeswoman said the union would continue to advocate for better support for suspended students returning to school, including more positive learning centres, more guidance officers and behaviour specialists and targeted resourcing.

“Schools are workplaces. The QTU has a ‘zero tolerance’ for violence and aggression and we will continue to encourage our members to recognise, report and respond to incidents,” she said.

A Queensland Education Department spokesman said any situation where students, staff or others are threatened is treated “extremely seriously” and dealt with as a priority under each school’s Student Code of Conduct.

Screenshots of videos of students brawling posted to Instagram.

Each Code of Conduct has specific consequences for breaches, the spokesman said, along with mobile phone policies and consequences for students caught filming the fights.

“Fighting between young people is a serious concern for families, schools and the broader community,” they said.

“Working together is critical to help our young people understand how to resolve conflict appropriately, regulate their emotions and seek assistance from adults when needed.”

“There are extensive supports and resources available to school staff, students and families to prevent and respond to harmful online behaviour, including Online Incident Management Guidelines for School Leaders and centralised services to assist with requesting removal of online content.”