A five-year-old girl came home from school terrified after a classmate allegedly threatened to chop her up, and brandished a meat cleaver on school grounds last week.
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Her father, Andrew Colligan, was shocked by the incident and disgusted by the response of the school, Nowra Public School.
Parents of children involved were not notified by the school, and the school did not contact police to report the incident.
A day later, after Mr Colligan went to the police station himself, he reportedly received an apologetic call from the principal, admitting they should have called police immediately.
There were four kids involved – the child with the knife, who allegedly held it up to another boy’s neck, and two girls, who watched on and screamed.
A teacher intervened, took the knife and walked away.
A different teacher later interviewed the three kids affected by the incident.
“No children were physically injured but they’ve been mentally traumatised,” Mr Colligan said.
“My daughter didn’t sleep for three or four nights afterwards.
“The boy had threatened her for days, saying that he would bring a big knife to school and chop her up.”
He does not want to focus on the attack, rather, the way it was handled.
“By keeping this information from parents they have failed in their duty of care,” Mr Colligan said.
“We expected a bit more support from staff.”
The NSW Education Department claims police have been notified, but Nowra police have no record of the report.
”The school is cooperating with the police,” a department spokesperson said.
“Following the incident the school reviewed its reporting and notification procedures and reminded staff of them.”
The NSW Education Department said appropriate disciplinary action has been taken.
However, Mr Colligan’s little girl is too scared to return to school.
“She’s a very bright, popular girl,” he said.
“My daughter has been really happy at school until now, we can’t send her back.”
The school has offered counselling to kids traumatised by the incident, and to the boy who brandished the meat cleaver.
“A child like that needs to be monitored, he needs special care,” Mr Colligan said.
The Department of Education assured the South Coast Register schools are among the safest places in our community.
“Although our schools are safe, from time to time, incidents do affect schools just as they affect communities and society as a whole,” the spokesperson said.
