A sad record - school fights and brawls

A roll of dishonour: violence inside the school gates. After the two unsavoury incidents this week, at Auckland's Lynfield College and Wellington's Bishop Viard College, nzherald.co.nz recalls schoolyard brawls, bullying and bashings from the files.

RUGBY BRAWL

* A brawl broke out during a first XV rugby match between Auckland Grammar and Kelston Boy's High last month.

Five Kelston players were handed rugby bans ranging from 45 to 71 weeks and seven were suspended from school. Four Auckland Grammar boys were banned from two to seven weeks.

SCRAP ESCALATES

* Police had to be called to Hamilton's Fairfield College in July after a fight broke out between two girls but ended up involving a group of students.

The fight was sparked after a senior student was "whacked in the face" after attempting to leave a student common room.

Two girls, aged 13 and 14, were charged with assault after police were called to break the fight up, and were being dealt with through court and Youth Aid.

ANGRY MOM

* An enraged mother
punched her child's primary school principal in the face in June.

Cara Janeen Leveridge, 40, was enraged after speaking to Masterton Primary School principal Sue Walters about a fist fight her son was involved in.

Ms Leveridge bailed Ms Walters up against a pillar in front of five staff and at least six children last week and punched her on the jaw.

CROSS-TOWN RIVALRY

* A Wanganui City College student suffered injuries that required hospital treatment in the fight between students from her school and Wanganui High School in March.

Senior sergeant Dave Kirby said the girl suffered bruising to her head. The fight was between two girls.

SCORE TO SETTLE?

* A series of fights broke out at Hutt Valley High School after a group of three adults and six youths arrived at the school and confronted a student about a previous fight in February.
The school field erupted into a brawl when about 30 students went to aid their schoolmate.

About a dozen police were needed to quell the fighting and arrest the nine members of the group, who the school's principal said were wearing gang colours.

THREATENED BY KNIFE
* A 14-year-old schoolgirl held a knife to the throat of a younger girl while demanding her lunch in November last year.

A small group of Gisborne Girls' High School students approached another group of 13- to 14-year-old girls on the school field during lunch break.

Police said an altercation took place and a knife was used in a threatening manner.

The Gisborne Herald said it had been told a 13-year-old student was asked for her lunch, she refused, and her hair was grabbed and a knife held to her throat.

POLICEMAN COPS IT

* A policeman was allegedly punched in the face by a 14-year-old boy while trying to break up a fight in Hastings in September last year.

The fight between students of two Hastings Schools was watched by a group of 200 students.

The clash took place at Flaxmere Park in Hastings and is believed to have been a result of an ongoing argument between students from two high schools.

GATE CRASHERS' REVENGE

* A 14 year-old Hamilton Girls' High School student was beaten at school after hosting a party on a weekend in December, 2007.

Haley Parker was bashed during morning interval by three 15-year-olds who set on her in the school corridor. At least one of the attackers had been booted out of the weekend party.

Haley, a Year 10 pupil, was punched in the face with such force that she banged her head against lockers as she fell to the floor.

- RESEARCH: EDWARD GAY