Two new videos have emerged of Ashburton College students being physically attacked by other students on school grounds.
One video showed two girls fighting in a school bathroom in front of a crowd of other students. At one point, one student smashes the other’s head into the floor.
Before the fight begins one of the onlookers shouts “come on”.
The clip was circulated among students, including edited versions set to music and with a “freeze frame” that lingered on one student's face.
Read more: School bullying victims say they were ignored by Ashburton College
A second video, which 1News understands was filmed last month, shows a male student being punched three times in the head in a school walkway.
This follows a 1News investigation into bullying at Ashburton College last year after video emerged of two male students fighting in the boy’s bathrooms in front of witnesses.
1News uncovered 16 allegations over the previous eight years and several parents involved in that story claimed their children had become suicidal after being targeted.
An independent review – ordered after the 1News investigation – found the school had met and exceeded some of its policies, but had “unmet policy expectations” in other areas and suggested 19 recommendations for improvement.
Ashburton College has been working to improve its policies and procedures for bullying.
Now, these new videos raise questions as to whether bullying is still a problem at the school.
Ashburton College principal Ross Preece confirmed he was aware of both incidents.
“Both have been dealt with via the appropriate pastoral and discipline systems, reflecting the recommendations of the independent 2022 review,” he said.
All of the school’s policies and procedures had been followed, including whānau involvement, he added.
“Our work to strengthen our school culture is always ongoing.”
Young boy too scared to use the toilets
A mother of a young boy at Ashburton College said it’s widely known that the school’s bathrooms are a problem.
Her son refused to use them because he feels unsafe, she said.
“He leaves school when he is able to do so to use the toilets at the domain across the road or in the nearby shopping area, rather than going to the toilets,” she told 1News, speaking anonymously so her child cannot be identified.
“It’s a known location for trouble, for kids vaping, for violence.”
This week’s new video in the girls’ bathrooms – filmed a year after the video of fighting in the boys’ bathrooms – showed something should be done, the mother said.
“I think they need to, or could look into, even if it was for short-term, stepping up the amount of teachers that are on duty and placing them around or near the toilet to blocks,” she said.
Other schools had recently introduced CCTV to the common areas of bathrooms to prevent anti-social behaviour, but this was fraught and should be a “last resort”, the mother said.
Preece agreed there was a need for “appropriate balance” between monitoring and privacy in toilets and said it was an issue schools have been grappling with for decades.
Senior leaders “freshly review” safety issues at the school when they arise, he said.
“At this stage we don't intend to move to CCTV monitoring of our toilets,” he added.
“We have however already increased staff monitoring and will continue to take any necessary actions to ensure these areas are [a] safe place.”
Preece has resigned his post as principal and will be replaced in the new year.
Announcing his retirement in June, he told the Ashburton Courier his biggest concern with the education system was “people not aspiring to be principals”.
His replacement, Simon Coleman of Geraldine High School, begins in January.
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