Girl stood down over school attack
A lunchtime schoolyard attack which saw a girl hitting and kicking a classmate is being investigated.
New Plymouth’s Spotswood College principal Mark Bowden confirmed a student who has a parent on the school’s board of trustees had been stood down while the assault was looked into.
Separate incidents involving the same student were also ‘‘potentially’’ being investigated, he said.
‘‘We’re pretty upset by it all,’’ Bowden said of the Thursday conflict, which played out on school grounds.
‘‘We’re really disappointed and hurt by it, but we’ll work through it.’’
A video of the physical assault emerged showing the youth punching and kicking another girl, who was seen protecting her face with her hands for the duration of the attack.
Both students were wearing the school’s uniform and many students also in school attire were milling around watching.
Bowden said the girl had been suspended and the BoT would decide when she could return to school.
‘‘That meeting hasn’t place yet,’’ he said.
He did not believe the student taken having a parent on the board to be a conflict of interest.
The incident had also been reported to police and the Ministry of Education and the school had held two assemblies where the incident was discussed, he said.
‘‘This is an investigation of the highest level,’’ he said. ‘‘We’ll work through it and the students will work with us to resolve it.’’
When asked if the girl had been involved in other physical assaults, including allegedly kneeing a male teacher in the genitals, Bowden chose not to comment only to say there were ‘‘potentially’’ multiple investigations.
He said the investigation would include speaking with students present at the attack and the person who filmed it.
That person may also face disciplinary action, he said.
‘‘Young people are pretty self centred and don’t understand the wider ramifications and consequences, not only for the victim but for the wider community,’’ he said of the video being posted online. ‘‘Social media is such an ugly forum.’’
The school had since met with the victim and her family and Bowden said she was ‘‘fine’’.
He did not believe the school had a problem with bullying and said the incident was rather a reflection of a nationwide issue among adolescents.
‘‘This stuff happens with young people...they’ve let us down.’’
A New Plymouth police spokeswoman confirmed the incident had been reported to police.