Critical incidents in SA public schools hit more than 14,100 in one year

Critical incidents in South Australian public schools surged in 2024, including violence, bullying and bringing weapons to campus, alarming new figures show.

Violence, bullying and weapons on public school campuses have surged across the state, but reports of drug and alcohol use are down, new figures show.

Critical incidents reported by school staff have risen by almost 1000 in the past year, to more than 14,100.

Other data released to The Advertiser by the state government also shows assaults by students on teachers almost doubled between 2022 and 2024, to more than 800.

And assaults by students on their peers increased from 885 to 1251 over the same period.

Worryingly, incidents are growing among primary school students, prompting authorities to focus efforts on behaviour among younger students.

“There are increasing situations where circumstances outside of school are brought into the school, such as family trauma and an inability of kids to self-regulate their behaviour,” Education Minister Blair Boyer said.

Education Minister Blair Boyer said circumstances outside of school are brought into school. Picture: Ben Clark

“This is increasingly challenging for staff. That’s why we are putting in more supports to confront those challenges and do what we can to prepare kids for school.”

Latest data released following requests from The Advertiser show:

VIOLENT incidents rose by 469 between 2023 and last year.

REPORTS of weapons were up by 342.

INSTANCES of e-crime rose by 187.

THERE were 241 more reports of alleged serious misconduct by staff.

CASES of drug or alcohol abuse and property damage fell.

At the start of last year the Education Department revised its suspension, exclusion and expulsion procedure, which SA Primary Principals Association president Tobias O’Connor said could account for part of the increase in incidents.

Staff may be reporting “incidents perhaps they may not have” in the past, he said.

SA Primary Principals Association president Tobias O’Connor said lower level misbehaviour at some sites “is almost normalised”. Picture: Australian Primary Principals Association website

SASPA chief executive Kirsty Amos said incidents had actually decreased in high schools. Picture: Supplied.

While Mr O’Connor would be “incredibly alarmed” if serious incidents were going unreported, he said lower level misbehaviour at some sites “is almost normalised”.

“Kids are coming into schools more complex than we’ve ever known and that puts a bit of a drain on resources,” he said.

SA Secondary Principals Association chief executive Kirsty Amos said incidents had actually decreased in high schools but “inappropriate use of social media” remained a concern.

“Communication is very easily misunderstood electronically and so potential for conflict is greater and that spills into schools,” Ms Amos said.

A critical incident is defined as a “significant, unusual or threatening event” that can be disruptive, contentious, create significant danger and risk or attract media scrutiny.

They can involve students, teachers, parents or intruders.

In a bid to improve safety in schools the government has deployed security guards, invested $1m in anti-bullying programs and hired 100 mental health workers.

Opposition education spokeswoman Heidi Girolamo said the figures were “shocking”.

“Every one of these incidents represents time away from the core role of our schools, delivering quality education,” Ms Girolamo said.

There are about 170,000 students enrolled across about 900 public preschool, primary and high school campuses across SA.

Private schools do not report the same information publicly.

Originally published as Critical incidents in SA public schools hit more than 14,100 in one year