‘A ghetto school’: Six students suspended after fight at troubled school
Police were called to contain a brawl between students at Walgett Community College after simmering tensions within the community erupted on school grounds, forcing teachers to intervene and leaving a police liaison officer with a minor injury.
A student filmed the incident on Tuesday morning and posted the footage on social media. It shows several students fighting and others being attacked when they stepped in to intervene.
At the end of the video, one student could be heard saying: “A ghetto school. I’m f *** shaking.” Six students were given suspensions of 10 days each, and a police liaison officer suffered a minor injury when she intervened. No charges have been laid.
Walgett Community College has one of the highest rates of truancy in the state and has struggled to attract teachers and principals despite generous incentives. The school in north-western NSW receives more money per student than any other in NSW, public or private.
Teachers late last year protested against their workplace for being unsafe. Many have been hit or spat upon, or their cars damaged. Several teachers are on leave due to physical and psychological injuries sustained at the school. A new principal was appointed in April, the college’s 30th in 23 years.
Many students also feel unsafe. “It’s now attracting maybe 40 kids a day,” said one person familiar with the school, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the Department of Education has banned anyone involved in Walgett Community College from talking to the media.
“The rest of the young people of Walgett don’t feel safe to be there and, in any case, the school is not staffed to be able to deliver a curriculum so attendance is rather pointless.”
The NSW Teachers Federation said 10 positions were vacant and timetabled classes were being cancelled.
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