Campbelltown, Camden schools report incidents of assault, indecent assault

One student at a school in the Macarthur principal’s network reported being indecently assaulted while receiving a hug at a school disco.

A Camden student assaulting and threatening multiple students on school grounds is just one incident staff at southwest Sydney schools have dealt with on campus.

New data reveals that Campbelltown has the highest amounts of recorded incidents when comparing principal’s networks in NSW, with 46 assaults recorded in 2020, according to the Department of Education’s register of “serious” incidents.

While indecent assaults in NSW public schools surged by 44 per cent in just 12 months.

One student at a school in the Macarthur principal’s network reported being indecently assaulted while receiving a hug at a school disco.

In another incident, an executive staff member at a Camden school reported that students were involved in a physical altercation on school grounds.

“Emergency services were contacted,” the report said.

“One student was conveyed to hospital. Police are currently investigating. School is managing the incident locally. Director, Educational Leadership is aware.”

At a Campbelltown school, a student “in a heightened state” assaulted another student and multiple employees on school grounds.

“No injuries sustained to students and minor first aid was administered to employees,” the report said.

“Executive staff were notified who contacted parent. Parent verbally abused an employee. Internal notifications have been made and the Director, Educational Leadership will be notified.”

Leading child psychologist Michael Carr-Gregg said the violent incidents could in part be due to “pent-up frustrations” from the pandemic and the challenges it posed.

Michael Carr-Gregg has called for at least two teachers in every school to receive mental health training.

“During lockdowns, kids weren‘t able to have the freedom they normally have,” he said.

“They were stuck at home and couldn‘t communicate with friends or teachers so, I think there is a bit of pent-up frustration that has led to quite a bit of depression and anxiety.

“It’s not unusual for some of that to be acted out on.”

Mr Carr-Gregg said all schools in southwest Sydney, and NSW, should be running mental health first aid courses for their staff.

When it came to indecent assaults – which are assaults of a sexual nature that do not involve rape – the vast majority were student on student.

Expert links rise in indecent assaults at NSW schools to porn consumption

Child safety expert Melinda Tankard Reist said the spike in indecent assaults was just the tip of the iceberg, adding: “Boys are learning how to treat girls from pornography. There is this overblown, supercharged idea of entitlement.

“I am hearing more stories (of students) being introduced to porn by other children, on the school bus, at the school camp,’’ Ms Reist said.

“I was dealing with girls last week telling me that boys are (committing indecent acts) openly on the school bus while watching porn. It is definitely getting worse, there is no doubt about it.”

Child psychologist Rose Cantali said the rise in attempted suicides could have been driven by lockdowns, which led to students’ mental health deteriorating.

“The things like going to school, talking to friends, they’ve been denied all that and it is going to increase suicidal thoughts,” Ms Cantali told The Daily Telegraph.

Opposition education spokeswoman Prue Car called on the government to do more for students’ mental health.

“There are not enough school counsellors in NSW, and rectifying this is one way the NSW government can address their shortcomings in supporting student mental health now,” she said.

The Department of Education did not respond to questions by deadline.