Three students arrested after teacher injured in Berwick Secondary College fight

Terrified students were forced to hide under their desks when a mass brawl involving up to 20 students erupted at Berwick Secondary College, with a teacher set upon when he came to break the fight up.

Students hide under their desks as a brawl breaks out at Berwick Secondary College.

A teacher was reportedly set upon after coming to the defence of another teacher during a mass brawl that forced the school into lockdown yesterday.

Police were called to Berwick Secondary College about 1.30pm Tuesday after reports that about 15 to 20 students were involved in a fight at the Manuka Rd campus.

Three students aged between 14 and 16 were arrested at the school.

A member of staff, reportedly including the deputy principal, allegedly attempted to break up the fight before being placed in a headlock by a year 8 student.

The Herald Sun has been told in what was the second related incident in the past week, the deputy principal allegedly had his head rammed into a wall and his stomach punched while he was grabbed by the student. The teacher received minor injuries.

In a Snapchat video seen by the Herald Sun, students can be seen hiding under tables while the school was in lockdown.

Berwick Secondary College principal Kerri Bolch confirmed the incident and said the school had been placed into lockdown.

“There was an altercation between students at the school earlier today, which prompted us to enact our lockdown procedure,” she said in a statement provided by the Education Department.

“We do not tolerate this type of behaviour at our school and it does not reflect the values of the overwhelming majority of our students.

“This matter has been reported to Victoria Police and we will assist them with their inquiries.

“We will investigate this matter thoroughly and take any appropriate action.”

A 17-year-old boy was taken to hospital with minor injuries but has since been discharged.

A former student at the school who has siblings that still attend Berwick Secondary College told the Herald Sun the lockdown lasted about 1½ to two hours.

It is understood a fight broke out between two groups of students over claims of prior expulsions relating back to another incident where the same assistant principal was attacked “a few days earlier”.

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That is when the assistant principal stepped in and the school’s other assistant principal came to their aid.

Police responded to another incident at a high school this afternoon in Sunshine West.

Officers were called after reports that a large group of youths were fighting at the school on Allison St about 1.10pm.

The youths dispersed when police arrived and three were treated at the scene for minor injuries.

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