Violent threats surge in WA schools, forcing more lock downs, report shows

Violent threats have forced over 1,100 lockdowns in Western Australian public schools in the past year, according to figures from the Department of Education. These incidents, which range from physical assaults and intimidating behavior to verbal, written, or cyber threats, resulted in 1,107 lockdowns affecting entire schools, specific blocks, or individual classrooms.

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Students and teachers deserve to be safe in school and parents should have every confidence that's going to be the case and the buck stops with our government when it comes to that safety in public schools.

The number of students required to shelter in their classrooms has more than doubled since 2017, a "staggering" increase according to the state's opposition spokesperson for education, Liam Staltari. He asserted that students and teachers deserve safety and that the government is ultimately responsible for ensuring it. "Simply brushing this away is not going to cut it with parents or teachers or students," Staltari stated.

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Simply brushing this away is not going to cut it with parents or teachers or students.

Education Minister Sabine Winton acknowledged the rise in reported lockdowns, linking it to the government's introduction of an Incident Management Manual in 2020, designed to enhance school safety. She also highlighted that the government has empowered school principals to suspend or exclude students who instigate violence. "Threats of violence at school, or anywhere in the community, are unacceptable," Winton said, adding that the Department of Education's Incident Support Unit has strengthened training to help schools identify and respond to lockdown situations effectively.

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Threats of violence at school, or anywhere in the community, are unacceptable.