Parents report Katherine High School schoolyard bashings continue

Parents of Katherine High School students continue to report schoolyard bashings taking place despite the promise of tough action to bring it to an end.

School attendance officers Cory and Jono Schwalger talk with Education and Training minister Jo Hersey. Three School Attendance Officers have been deployed to the Katherine High School to help end the schoolyard bashings Picture: Gera Kazakov

Parents of Katherine High School students continue to report schoolyard bashings taking place despite the promise of tough action to bring it to an end.

The NT News has had a flood of complaints and been sent videos of children being brutally attacked by fellow Katherine High School students.

Education Minister Jo Hersey and the Education Department have promised tough action to bring the violence to an end.

In response three School Attendance Officers have been deployed to the Katherine High School to help end the schoolyard bashings that have plunged the school into renewed crisis.

The Education Department has also asked NT police to release the school-based constable from training so they can be on site at the school.

Education Minister Jo Hersey, who is the Member for Katherine, has promised an increase in supervision over break times with additional school staff.

Minister Hersey said the high school had brought back Yondr pouches to support strengthening mobile phone policy in the school.

Three School Attendance Officers have been deployed to the Katherine High School to help end the schoolyard bashings. Picture: Gera Kazakov

Katherine High School acting principal Alicia Stanley has acknowledged the cries of parents that their children have the right to learn in a safe and supportive environment.

In a letter she also echoed their sentiments that “violence, bullying or any form of aggression is completely unacceptable at Katherine High School.”

“We take these matters very seriously and will take swift action, including consequences for those found filming or otherwise contributing to such incidents,” she said.

“We have addressed all reported incidents and significant sanctions have been implemented for those involved in fighting and anti-social behaviour.”

Ms Stanley has appealed to parents of children who have experienced or witnessed any fighting or anti-social behaviour, to reach out to the school.

Despite all this, parents say the fights are continuing at the school.

A disturbing post on social media on Tuesday night read:

“Fight today at school my child attacked. Still no correspondence from the school even though I called the school myself.”

Another parent posted: “Both my kids have been constantly bullied and assaulted on the school bus (both primary school students) by high school students with a majority of them being from Katherine High.”

A further post read: “I have repeatedly asked for years that there be an additional staff member on the bus in the afternoons. My kids have been spat at, oranges thrown at them, mashed potato thrown at them, been followed from seat to seat so they could be “bashed” and ended up with other children at my home as they didn’t want to be left on the bus with these kids.”

A parent of child who seemingly was also a victim of a schoolyard attack also posted: “The school never even attempted to call us today when my child was attacked. It was lucky he had his phone so he could call his dad.”

Originally published as Parents report Katherine High School schoolyard bashings continue