Violent threats surge in WA schools, forcing more lock downs, report shows
Public schools were forced into lockdown 1,300 times last year, according to figures tabled in Parliament this week, and most of those were triggered by violent threats made against students or staff.
Violent threats led to 1,107 school lockdowns in Western Australia last year, according to Department of Education reports. Opposition leader Liam Staltari called the increase "staggering" and emphasized that students and teachers deserve a safe learning environment. Education Minister Sabine Winton attributed the rise to stricter reporting protocols implemented in 2020, and noted that the government has empowered principals to suspend or exclude students involved in violent incidents.
The figures, presented in Parliament, showed that most lockdowns were due to physical assaults, intimidating behavior, or verbal, written, or cyber threats. One teenage boy was hospitalized after a stabbing incident at Ellenbrook Secondary School, which prompted a lockdown. At least ten teenagers were charged in connection with the attack, involving knives and an axe.
Written by urgent.news from ABC News AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
