NT Police called in to scan students at Katherine High School after another violent incident

Police officers will wand students at a Katherine school after a student was treated at a local clinic following a stabbing incident.

Katherine Police Station. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Police officers will wand students at Katherine High School after a student was treated at a local clinic following a stabbing incident at the school on Thursday.

High school principal Nick Lovering wrote to parents after the incident, advising he had approved police attendance at the school to conduct “handheld scanning”.

“This morning a classroom incident occurred between two students at Katherine High School,” Mr Lovering said in his letter to parents.

“One student received a wound from a pen and was conveyed to the local clinic as a precautionary measure.

“In line with school protocols, the NT Police Force were notified and are investigating the incident.

“The Department maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards violent behaviour in our schools.

I have addressed the incident and sanctions have been implemented in accordance with school and departmental policy.

Katherine Police Station. Picture: Alex Treacy

“All school staff have been briefed, student welfare checks for those affected have been conducted and counselling has been offered. If you feel that your child requires additional support, there are support services at our school, which all students are welcome to access.

“In response to today’s incident, I have provided consent for the NT Police Force to enter the school over the next 72 hours to conduct handheld scanning.

“I want to reiterate that every student at our school has the right to learn in a safe and supportive environment where they can achieve their best possible educational outcomes.”

No charges have been laid in relation to the incident.

Less than a fortnight ago, Education Minister and Katherine MLA Jo Hersey debunked a social media post that a student had been stabbed at the school.

The incidents are not said to be connected.

At that time, a spokesman for Education Minister Jo Hersey, who is also the Member for Katherine, said the claims have been investigated and neither police or the Education Department had responded to a stabbing.

“We investigated immediately and as far as we can ascertain there was a fight in a male toilet block but definitely no stabbing,” a spokesman for the Minister said.

Vision has also been posted on social media previous showing acts of violence on a Katherine school bus, with parents saying they had seen footage of a child’s head being stomped.

A parent of a Katherine student told the NT News this school year had begun like the last one, with ongoing schoolyard assaults.

“This went on all last year and it is continuing this year,” one parent told the NT News.

“My daughter missed so much schooling last year … and it has continued again this year.

“We have been back and forth to the school for answers to get it stopped.

“I ask my daughter how things have gone at school and she responds ‘Yep another kid got bashed at school today’ which is alarming to hear.

“It’s almost bashings daily.”

Originally published as NT Police called in to scan students at Katherine High School after another violent incident