Newly-released data by the NSW Education Department, which details incidents involving drugs, technology, violence, weapons or welfare concerns, shows the number of events in the district have increased steadily since 2015. 

In 2015, 30 incidents were reported by principals to the Education Department, compared to 41 in 2016 and 54 in 2017. 

In 2017, 22 of the incidents reported involved violence, including one case on November 28 where one student assaulted another and continued to punch the victim even after they had fallen to the ground.

The student perpetrator also swore and acted aggressively towards staff after they intervened.

But it wasn’t just students doing the wrong thing, on September 22 police were called after a parent created a fake social networking profile of an assistant principal.

IN OTHER NEWS: 

An Education Department spokesman said every student, teacher and member of the school community has the inviolable right to feel safe at school.

“This is why the NSW Government has a zero tolerance policy towards violence, bullying or harassment of any kind in our public schools,” he said.

“To put the low number of incidents into context, there were 1150 incident reports in 2017 for approximately 800,000 students across more than 2200 public schools.

“All incidents are reported to the department’s Incident Support Unit which includes staff from the NSW Police Force. Where appropriate, incidents are referred directly to NSW Police and other relevant agencies for consideration and appropriate action.

“The higher number of suspensions (year-on-year, and when compared to serious incident reports) clearly demonstrates students are being disciplined for violence.”

Police were called to assist during a number of incidents in the Albury Principal District, including to a bomb threat on October 16.

Only three days after the threat, police responded to another incident of a student possessing drugs. 

Police were alerted after a staff member smelt an odour in the recess yard, prompting an investigation by the school.  

Again on August 31 police were contacted after a student, who had absconded before a bag search the day before, alleged they had been supplied drugs by another student.

Police also had to be called on September 22, when a student became aggressive and threatening after being told to put their phone away by a teacher. 

The student had been removed from class by the deputy principal, but then left school grounds so police were contacted.

On four occasions paramedics were called or students were taken to hospital after self-harming or expressing suicidal intentions.

For help: Lifeline 13 11 14 

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