There’s been a second stabbing at an educational establishment in New Zealand today.

The first was was at Pacific Christian School where a 10 year old was stabbed in the head (more details here), the second was stabbed during an inter-school brawl outside the gates of Southern Cross Campus, just as school closed for the day.

Southern Cross has something of a reputation for violence, in 2011 a teacher was beaten senseless.

The two schools are less than 4km apart, and it’s highly likely that the two incidents were connected in some way, although police are playing that down. Locals have a different view of the matter saying that it could be gang related and its having an affect on younger children.

Teens injured in another fight

“In the second incident, a teenager was stabbed and another injured in a fight outside Southern Cross Campus in Mangere about 3.30pm.

A witness told Radio New Zealand at least one of the people injured was stabbed with a pocket-knife. The witness said the fight was between Southern Cross students and a group from another school.

Police said the teenagers have been taken to Middlemore Hospital, but their injuries aren’t thought to be life-threatening…” more here.

Security is notoriously lax in New Zealand schools, who are keen to maintain their difference with American schools which they perceive to be more violent. In reality school stabbings and violent attacks are common in New Zealand, at least one teacher has been murdered in her classrooms and others have been seriously assaulted by students, including  who was stabbed in the back by a pupil during class.

“We’re giving up”

That’s the threat from a south Auckland community trust dealing with youth violence in the area.

CEO of the Strive Community Trust Sharon Wilson-Davis says her staff are tutors, not clinical psychologists, but they have to deal with the consequences of drugs, real and synthetic, being available in classrooms; families that have been dysfunctional for generations, and kids carrying weapons.

“And I’ve been the CEO of this organisation for the past 17 years and sadly if something doesn’t change we will give up the youth training programme at the end of the year, that’s how difficult it is.” source Principles need communities to help violent students

 

Ms Wilson-Davis says she’s no longer prepared to put her staff at risk.

 

Her comments follow the two separate stabbings involving school children in South Auckland yesterday.

In 2011 a teacher at Southern Cross was beaten unconscious by a student at the school as he patrolled the corridors during a wet lunch interval (more here).

Related stories from E2NZ.org

Aranui High School, Christchurch Knife Attack (August 2012)

In a disturbing escalation of school violence, combined with a heightening of aggression in the nation’s young women, we hear that three women allegedly went into the Aranui high school in Christchurch and stabbed a 15-year-old pupil…

Teacher Beaten Unconscious By Student (June 2011)

We’re saddened to  learn of yet another act of violent savagery in a New Zealand school.

The Herald has published an account of a south Auckland schoolteacher who was beaten unconscious in a school corridor in Mangere at lunchtime last Friday.

“South Auckland school teacher was beaten unconscious by a student as he checked corridors during a rainy lunchtime.

The Southern Cross student has been suspended until the Board of Trustees meets this week to discuss further action and whether police need to be involved.

Principal Robin Staples said the teacher was monitoring the hallways during a wet day when the male student attacked him last Friday.

The teacher was still away and Mr Staples said he was to meet him last night to discuss how he felt about returning to work…

…Secondary Schools Association president Patrick Walsh said the attack was an example of the “disturbing trend” of increasing verbal and physical assaults on teachers by students. “… full report here

Belfast Teacher Encounters Troubles In NZ (February 2011)

Today’s Western Leader is carrying a story about Northern Irishman Roy Lilley, principal of Bruce McLaren Intermediate who was attacked by a hammer weilding youth whilst he was at work on Waitangi Day.

Mr Lilley confronted the aggressive youth whom he found ransacking the school office but managed to talk him down, despite the youth attempting to hit him with the hammer. He told the Leader…

‘Bullying To Blame’ For Te Puke Teacher Stabbing  (May 2010)

“The family of a 13 year old youth, who stabbed his teacher multiple times with a kitchen knife on 10 May, say that the boy had suffered in a school that had a “culture of bullying” – Te Puke High School…”

Racial Sensitivity May Have Caused Classroom Stabbing (March 2009)

Despite allegations that are students were told not to speak to the media on threat of expulsion further details are leaking out about the shocking classroom stabbing yesterday of teacher David Warren at Avondale College. A 17 year old student at the college Tae Won Chung appeared in court today and was denied bail…”