Blackwood Primary School staff quit, take leave following student violence

Staff at an Adelaide Hills primary school have been left with no option but to take leave or quit following violent incidents involving a student.

A community member has claimed a Blackwood Primary School student’s behaviour has caused multiple staff to leave the school. Picture: Keryn Stevens

Four staff members at Blackwood Primary School have been forced to resign or take stress leave due to a student who kicked, hit and spat on both students and teachers, it has been claimed.

Since term 1 this year, the boy’s violent behaviour forced classes to evacuate and left staff feeling like they had no option but to leave the school, said a community member who wished to remain anonymous.

He claims the boy’s violent behaviour forced classes to evacuate and left staff feeling like they had to leave the school, although that has been disputed by the school.

An Education Department spokeswoman said while there had been two incidents involving the child this year, “at no time has it been suggested to school leadership that the staff movements are as a direct consequence of this student’s behaviour”.

The child’s classroom teacher had been on personal leave this term, she said, and he has one-on-one SSO support.

The student is in mainstream classes and the community member is calling for him to be in a dedicated unit as currently “the support system is not there”.

“He’s throwing tables, chairs, sticks, stones, hitting teachers and basically he spends about 10 minutes in the classroom a day and apart from that he’s under constant supervision,” the community member said.

In term 1, students were allegedly forced to leave the classroom after the boy became violent, one of multiple incidents which prompted a school services officer (SSO) to move to another school.

The SSO was the first of four staff members to quit or take leave this year, he said.

The community member claims another SSO “broke down at school one day”, before taking five weeks leave.

“It was constant being on high alert knowing any second he could go off,” he said.

Since returning to school, the SSO’s contact hours with the student have been reduced but “even still she’s not coping”.

“This child is out of control and there’s nowhere to go,” he said.

A teacher, who took leave in term 1 relating to the student’s conduct along with an SSO who was on stress leave were among the staff members affected, he said.

He also said that other students’ learning is being impacted by constant disruptions as a result of the student’s behaviour.

“He needs to be in a special class where the people know exactly what they’re going in to,” the community member said.

“It’s horrific for the staff.”

The Education Department spokeswoman said staff are “working with the department around alternative support options for the student”.

One of the student’s five SSOs went on leave at the end of term 1 but when they returned “they have continued to work with the student, at their own request”.

The boy also has support through private providers who attend the school.

“When his behaviour is inappropriate, he has been subject to consequences, including suspension, and ‘take homes’ whereby a student is sent home early for the day,” the spokeswoman said.

“The student’s family has supported this each time.

“There has been significant improvements in this student’s engagement with school and his ability to regulate.”

Originally published as Blackwood Primary School staff quit, take leave following student violence