Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
WEAPONS CONFISCAtED FROM CIty PuPILS
DUNDEE primary school children have been bringing weapons including pen knives and large branches to class.
New figures show knives, metal poles and tree branches have all been confiscated from pupils during the past four years.
Dundee City Council refused to reveal the exact number of pupils caught in possession of weapons for data protection reasons, but conceded both primary and secondary children have had items removed.
No weapon confiscations were recorded in 2011/2012, but between 2012 and 2014, several high school pupils had dangerous items confiscated.
By 2016, primary children too had been reprimanded for bringing weapons to class.
The city council says it is working with schools to ensure an “agreed and consistent” approach is in place to tackle the issue.
Labour education spokesperson Laurie Bidwell described the figures as “worrying”.
He said: “The five-year figures from Dundee City Council, of school pupils having an offensive weapon in school, show a worrying increase in these incidents from none recorded in school year 2011-12.
“Additionally, Police Scotland have revealed that between 2013 and 2015, there were 11 incidents recorded across nine high schools in the city where police had been informed of a dangerous weapon at school.”
The city council’s child and family services convener Stewart Hunter said he believes both pupils and staff are adopting a proactive approach to curbing violence in schools.