Alice Springs’ Yipirinya school council breaks silence after principal Gavin Morris was charged

The principal of central Australia’s largest Indigenous school has been charged with multiple counts of aggravated assault against children.

Yipirinya School principal Gavin Morris. Picture: Grenville Turner

The school council of Yipirinya, central Australia’s largest Indigenous school, has broken its silence after principal Gavin Morris was charged with multiple counts of aggravated assault against children.

In a statement, the school council said it was “deeply concerned” by the serious allegations against principal Gavin Morris, who on Thursday evening was charged with five counts of aggravated assault against children. The allegations are not of a sexual nature.

The Australian revealed on Thursday Dr Morris, who is also on the Alice Springs Town Council, had been arrested following an investigation into the allegations which police say ­occurred “on multiple separate occasions in 2023”.

“As a community, this is a time of shock and sadness, and we respectfully request privacy around our school grounds to protect the students and staff as they navigate this difficult situation,” the statement said.

“The Yipirinya School is deeply concerned and acknowledges the serious allegations against Dr. Gavin Morris. We want to assure our community that the safety, wellbeing and education of our students is our highest priority.”

Dr Morris spent most of Thursday in custody in Alice Springs before he was released on bail to appear in court next Tuesday.

It is understood that in the past week a number of staff and students were visited by police and interviewed before the outspoken principal was arrested on Thursday morning for the alleged ­offending.

“On the 20 June, 2024, police received reports of historical physical assaults on children at the school.

“It is believed the ­alleged assaults occurred on ­multiple separate occasions in 2023,” a spokesperson for Territory police said.

“The six victims were aged between eight and 13 years old at the time of the assaults, and police will allege the man was an employee of the school at the time.”

NT police later released a statement saying Dr Morris “has been charged with five counts of aggravated assault”.

A Yipirinya School staff member said that over the past week police had approached staff about an alleged incident from two years ago in a building used for childcare.

“The kids got in through an unlocked door and smeared paint all over the place,” the staff member said.

“They didn’t smash any windows; the door was unlocked and they helped themselves inside and had a field day.“

The staff member had never seen or heard complaints about Dr Morris mishandling or being rough with children.

“I just heard he was arrested for that. I’m so shocked, I couldn’t believe it.

“We stand by him and we back him 100 per cent.”

Dr Morris has been outspoken after revealing the horrifying extent of the crisis engulfing Indigenous children in central Australia, at times ­detailing incidents where children have sometimes been returned to school in ­handcuffs or wearing ankle bracelets.

In one case, a 12-year-old and his mates led teachers on a wild pursuit through the town in a ­stolen minibus.

He spoke out in a desperate plea to help students like his who were “in absolute crisis”, saying staff routinely had to contact magistrates to have bail conditions varied for children as young as 12 so they could participate in after-school ­programs.

He added, however, that his students saw the school as “a place of ­culture” and “a place where they want to be”.

Dr Morris was contacted for comment. He will appear in court on August 13.