KEY POINTS:
The rector of Otago Boys' High School says a boy who brought a knife to school yesterday should not be in mainstream education.
The 14-year-old was escorted from his year nine class when a teacher became concerned by his erratic behaviour and suspected he was "on something", the Otago Daily Times newspaper reported.
He then showed the teacher a pocketknife, refused to give it up and walked off the school grounds.
Rector Clive Rennie said the boy had attended only 10 days of school in two years.
He had been back at school just four days after taking a long break in the care of a number of social agencies.
He said the knife incident showed the agencies' work had not been a success.
"The school's feeling is that his rehabilitation was not satisfactory. Our opinion is we should never have been asked to reintegrate him."
The school has asked the Ministry of Education to refer the boy back to alternative education.
"We are prepared to play our part, but there needs to be better judgement about when a person is ready to be mainstreamed again," Mr Rennie said.
Dunedin police said the boy had been placed with Child, Youth and Family.
He may face a charge of possessing an offensive weapon.
- NZPA
