Mount Gambier North Primary School: Boy brings knife to school and threatens to kill classmates
A primary school was placed in an emergency lockdown after a seven-year-old boy allegedly brought a knife to class and allegedly threatened to kill classmates.
The terrifying incident happened on Monday at Mount Gambier North Primary School, 435 kilometers south-east of Adelaide.
A shocked parent claimed the boy, who has a history of behavioral problems, brought a ‘kitchen block carving knife’ to class.
She told me Advertiser that the boy hit her daughter and threatened to kill other students.
Teachers immediately launched an ‘invacuation’ as soon as they realized the boy had a knife in his bag.
Police were called to the school to speak to the boy, who was subsequently suspended.
Mount Gambier North Primary School (pictured) was placed on emergency lockdown after a seven-year-old boy allegedly brought a knife to class and threatened classmates
“The bag was confiscated, causing the student to become upset and behave inappropriately,” an education department spokesperson said.
‘The student’s family and police were contacted. As a result of this behavior, the student has been suspended.’
School principal Sam Griffiths also addressed the incident in an email to parents.
“The school’s immediate response was an evacuation (lockdown) to ensure the safety of our students and staff,” she wrote.
‘Our welfare team has checked all students.
The parent said her daughter was “hit with his fist by the boy out of anger” and that she and other parents she has spoken to “I don’t feel like our kids are doing well.”
She also claimed that a teacher took a week off due to stress over the incident.
The mother said the school has not revealed how it plans to help students’ emotional and physical well-being after the incident, but is instead “working on how and what it looks like for the bullied student to return ( to school).’
The school’s principal, Sam Griffiths, sent an email (pictured) to parents about the incident
The education department confirmed that “a significant number of behavioral incidents have occurred at the school this year involving this student.”
A safety plan will be put in place to ‘best meet the needs of the student… and to ensure the safety of the wider school community’.
“The school continues to work closely with parents to best meet the needs of individual students, supporting their learning and wellbeing, and to ensure the safety of the wider school community,” a spokesperson said.
The latest knife-related incident at a school came after Chifley College in Sydney’s west went into lockdown on May 9, when a student arrived on campus armed with a knife.