Parents speak out about certain Flagstone Community College students taking ‘fight clubs’ to local parks

A Logan park is virtually off limits for parents of young children who claim some local high school students have turned it into a scene for “fight clubs”. Now they want action.

Parents are avoiding taking young children to a Logan park, saying certain high school students’ ‘fight club culture’ has made it too dangerous.

According to parents, some students from Flagstone State Community College — a Logan school the centre of previous ‘fight club culture’ controversy after Instagram pages emerged depicting videos of students bashing each other while in school uniform — have moved their fights to local parks.

The juvenile fights have resulted in families shying away from the locations.

Numerous parents have said they no longer took their young children to the pirate park and adventure park in Flagstone because of the behaviour of certain Flagstone State Community College students.

Screenshot from video of Flagstone State Community College students fighting in uniform. Picture: Supplied

Local parents have alleged that while it was worse during the school holidays, the problem had been ongoing for months and the high school students involved were usually in uniform.

One concerned parent posted her fears in a public community group, which sparked unanimous outrage.

“We have this lovely park for kids but the last two weekends now we have visited but left because of older children swearing and making threats to younger kids,” she said.

“It’s sad that they have little respect for everyone one around them.”

Another parent, with three children under 11, said she was ‘absolutely disgusted’ by the behaviour and language from students wearing the Flagstone State Community College uniform at the parks.

“There were children from Flagstone High there and the language used was disgusting ranging in all forms including the c word,” she said.

“They were misusing the equipment which in turn teaches the young ones the wrong thing to do.

Screenshot from video of Flagstone State Community College students fighting in uniform. Picture: Supplied

“I had to keep moving my children to different parts of the playground to get away from it so they didn’t see or hear it.

“I would go more if I didn’t have that to avoid … I will not ever send my children to that school let’s just say that.”

Another parent said she moved to the area with the hopes of taking her seven-year-old daughter to the parks regularly.

“We barely go to either park now because of the swearing and fighting,” she said.

“There was a point where there were teenagers and primary school kids drinking at the pirate park.

“Very sad to see this place turning to crap two years after we’ve bought here thinking it would be a nice area to raise a family.”

The young mother said she would like to see police patrolling the Flagstone parks.

“I was in another neighbourhood the other night, Jimboomba woods, and I noticed they have a patrol car going around monitoring the area we definitely need something like that,” she said.

“If we go to any parks and see too many school kids we turn around and come home …. we witnessed two boys pushing and hitting a girl … my husband and another man had to step in.

“We have kids in our street that attend Flagstone high school and the language they use is appalling. The parents don’t seem to care.”

Numerous parents have agreed and begged for the school or police to do something.

“Police should be including these areas in their patrols,” she said.

Screenshot from video of Flagstone State Community College students fighting in uniform. Picture: Supplied

A spokesman from Queensland Education did not deny the allegations.

“Schools are part of the community and have an important role to play, in partnership with families, to support young people to be safe and respectful to others,” they said.

“Flagstone State Community College has a Student Code of Conduct developed in consultation with the broader community. It is due for review in 2023, which provides parents, students and staff with the opportunity to discuss and contribute to a revised approach to any new or emerging concerns.

“All Queensland state school principals have the authority to discipline students for behaviour that occurs outside of school hours and settings, regardless of whether students are wearing school uniform.

“Where serious issues arise around any student’s behaviour, their family will be contacted and invited to discuss the concerns and plan an appropriate response.

“Any parents or members of the community with concerns are encouraged to report these to the principal or school leadership team directly so they can be appropriately considered.”