AUGUST 30, 2017 \ STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
NEWS + SPORT + THE WEST’S BEST PROPERTY GUIDE
Schools violence shock Violent assaults by students, weapons being brought into playgrounds and the threatening of staff are being reported by Wyndham schools. A Freedom of Information request submitted by Star Weekly to the Department of Education and Training has revealed there were 47 incidents involving weapons recorded at primary and secondary schools in the Wyndham area between January last year and May this year. The information obtained by Star Weekly did not identify individual students or schools where the incidents occurred, nor how many school were involved. In April, a student had their fingers slashed with a knife, after being attacked by a group of students. The victim was punched and kicked. Counselling was provided to students who witnessed the incident. In another disturbing event, a student brought a “homemade firearm” to school and said they would like to use the weapon to “kill” a number of students and staff. A teachers’ aide removed the firearm from the student, who was concealing it in their clothing. At another school, students were evacuated from a building after one of their peers became physically aggressive. During a 45-minute rampage, the student threw furniture, broke a glass door, trashed two other classrooms and punched the school’s assistant principal in the head twice. Other cases included: • A student needing first-aid after another student strangled them with a piece of string.
• A student holding a lighter up to another child’s face and attempting to put them on fire. • A youngster threatening staff at their school twice on the same day, first with a wooden stake and secondly with a metal stake. • Several cases of students being found to be carrying weapons, such as knives. Wyndham Acting Inspector Peter Bitton said police had not “seen any marked increase in reporting” of weapons incidents at schools in recent months.
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It is illegal to carry knives in a public place - Peter Bitton
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“Naturally many of these reports are probably handled in-house by the school,” he said. “If we are notified we will certainly conduct an investigation … in many incidents, this will lead to charges or a significant fine as it is illegal to carry knives in a public place without a lawful excuse.” Western suburbs youth worker Les Twentyman said the issue of young people carrying weapons was “really massive”. “A lot of kids are carrying weapons because they are scared and think they must carry weapons because everyone else is carrying,” he said. The Australian Education Union’s Victorian Branch President, Meredith Peace, said that violence was “unacceptable in any workplace, including schools, where student and staff safety is of utmost importance.”
(Joe Mastroianni)
By Alesha Capone
JAMES BELSEY WITH CHARLOTTE AND OLIVER
Father’s Day sorted Father’s Day is all about spending time with his children for Point Cook’s James Belsey. The father of three is planning to spend the morning at home this Sunday with children Ben, Oliver and Charlotte, before rehearsals for an upcoming theatrical show he’ll be part of with the Western Arts Theatre Inc. Mr Belsey said that while it could be hectic juggling a family’s schedule, making time for events such as Father’s Day was important. “For me, it’s just a time to spend with the kids really, and have fun,” he said. Alesha Capone
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