Violent Threats Trigger Over 1,100 Lockdowns in Western Australian Schools

Violent threats have triggered 1,107 incidents of lockdown at Western Australian schools last year, according to the Department of Education. The lockdowns applied to entire schools, blocks or a classroom, the figures show. The education minister said the increase, which the opposition called "staggering", was due to stricter reporting protocols introduced in 2020.

Violent threats have triggered more than 1,100 lockdowns at public schools in Western Australia last year, education department figures show, with the numbers of students forced to shelter in their classrooms more than doubling since 2017. The figures were tabled in Parliament this week and show that out of the 1,327 lockdown incidents reported at schools, the majority were due to threats including physical assault, intimidating behaviour and verbal, written or cyber threats. A lockdown can apply to the whole school, a block or a classroom.

State opposition spokesperson for education Liam Staltari said the increase was "staggering". "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," Mr Staltari said. "Simply brushing this away is not going to cut it with parents or teachers or students."

During the emergency, classroom doors and windows are locked, blinds are pulled down and students ordered to keep a low profile until the "all clear" is given, which can mean hiding under their desks. Whole school evacuations were not included in the report tabled in Parliament this week.

School violence 'unacceptable'

Education Minister Sabine Winton acknowledged there had been an increase in schools reporting lockdowns since the government introduced an Incident Management Manual in 2020 to safeguard schools. She also said the government empowered school principals to automatically suspend, or move to exclude, students who instigate violence. "Threats of violence at school, or anywhere in the community, are unacceptable," Ms Winton told the ABC in a statement. "The Department of Education's Incident Support Unit has strengthened face-to-face training to help schools identify when a lockdown is required and ensure staff are equipped to respond appropriately."

Last year, a teenage boy was taken to hospital after being stabbed in the arm in a "targeted" knife attack that put Ellenbrook Secondary School in Perth into lockdown. At least 10 teenagers have been charged over the assault, in which knives and an axe were used.