Shocking videos surfaced this week of violent fighting between school children at a Northern Territory public school. The videos, posted to social media have parents and authorities worried, with extra staff brought in to help monitor the situation in the school yard.
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00:00Reports of fighting at Catharines Public High School, drawing the attention of the NT's
00:07Education Minister.
00:08It has been extremely concerning, the level of violence in the schoolyard at the Catharines
00:14High School and it absolutely is not tolerated.
00:18Media reports in recent days have appeared to show violent brawls between students.
00:22I've asked the department for a full briefing on what's going on there and we have put support
00:27measures in with school attendance and engagement officers in the recess and lunch periods.
00:34The Labor opposition saying truancy officers were never meant to be stationed at schools.
00:39The Minister for Education is wanting to use the truancy officer position as a pseudo-security
00:44guard here in Catharines.
00:46I think that's extremely disappointing.
00:48I think that is an absolute breach of trust and confidence in those positions.
00:53In a letter to parents, the school's acting principal addressed a number of incidents
00:57that have occurred at Catharines High, saying there would be swift action, including for
01:02those found filming or otherwise contributing to such incidents, but also debunking some
01:07unverified claims on social media, saying, I can confirm no one has been stabbed at our school.
01:14Along with truancy officers keeping the peace at lunch, the school plans to reintroduce
01:18lockable pouches for kids to put their phones in during the school day, to help enforce
01:23the no phones policy.
01:25Staff and students must feel safe in their school environment.
01:29So by providing these extra measures from the department, it's just giving the school
01:34extra support, which is what they need at this time.
01:37The phone locking devices are expected to arrive next week.