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Student attacks pose a significant challenge to all schools in the country, a principals' association says.
The comments comes after RNZ was given access to a video recorded at Auckland's Ōrewa College where a student is kicked and punched by another, while their peers watch and scream.
In the video, a female student can be seen kicking and punching another female student, while others call her name, asking her to stop.
The student being attacked falls to the ground, and the attacker continues to throw kicks and step on her.
Ōrewa College has been contacted by RNZ to understand what measures were in place to prevent violence from taking place, but the school has refused to comment.
Senior Sergeant Roger Small said police were investigating the assault, which was reported on Tuesday, and was aware of the video footage.
"We are extremely concerned by the violence shown in the video ... and we ask the community to cease sharing this any further."
Small said police was supporting the victim and her family.
"I can reassure the public that we take this offending very seriously and our enquiries into the matter are ongoing."
'Challenging situation' - Auckland Secondary Schools Principals' Association
Auckland Secondary Schools Principals' Association (ASSPA) president Karen Brinsden said fighting between students was an issue faced by several schools.
"It is something that every school is challenged by, and what we work with our students to do is to look at what our values are, what our expectations are, what our standards are.
"Of course, when something doesn't go right [schools have] to look at how we can prevent it from happening again."
In most cases, Brinsden said what was happening outside school could influence students' behaviours inside the institutions.
"It is a very challenging situation when our behaviours inside the school become either bullying, harassment or potentially more physical, [like] an attack or a fight.
"What we have sometimes is issues that are happening outside of the school gate coming into the school community."
Brinsden said each school had its own way to manage violent conflicts between students.
"It comes back to the values and expectations that all principals of schools set up and they vary from school to school, but underlyingly, it will be about respecting each other, whether it be through cultural identity, for example, and that everyone has the right to come to school to learn in a safe learning environment."
She said it was up to a school's principal and board to ensure a safe learning environment.
"It's about looking at how we can be proactive rather than reactive in any given situation."
Historical attacks
In 2022, Ōrewa College called a meeting to parents after two brutal assaults surfaced online.
A parent described on Facebook a summary of that meeting, which was attended by hundreds of parents, the police, teaching staff, the school board of trustees and the former principal Greg Pierce.
"Greg opened and acknowledged it had been a tough/bad week for the school with two 'uncommon' incidents," the minutes read.
"He confirmed investigations are ongoing, including with the police, to date [two] students have been expelled."
The minutes included parents' feedback given at the meeting.
"A very real concern from many parents is that our kids are not safe," the minutes noted.
"That security is not adequate and there is no speak up culture, or kids are afraid to speak up."
There were also issues around students not feeling like their concerns were validated or addressed, it said.
"Poor communication from the school and a lack of acknowledgement that there is a real issue," was also parents' concern.
"Many people were disappointed that it's taken some 'bad press' for the school to finally start addressing the problems."
There was concern no real change would happen or it would happen too slowly, it read.
"Kids need to be protected and safe now."
The minutes mentioned parents' concern on the lack of "crack down" on bullying.
"Many commented that the school doesn't crack down on the smaller things, so it allows the bigger things to happen - not upholding uniform rules, vaping in classrooms, knocking low grade bullying on the head before it gets bigger.
"Kids don't respect the school or the teachers and [there is] a feeling that the bullies are ruling the school," it read.
Parents left the meeting feeling that timely action was necessary.
"I guess this is where the [Board of Trustees] and school need to put their money where their mouth is ... they have admitted there is no silver bullet and there is some work to be done, the minutes read.
"I personally didn't leave feeling like my kids will be any safer going to school tomorrow or next week. I'm unsure I can ... say we will see big changes, but I also feel we need to give the school a chance to see what happens next."
