A violent fight involving a machete and school pupils spills onto the Onehunga streets. Video / Regz Tupe
Distressed parents have criticised Onehunga High School leaders after they waited more than 17 hours to tell parents about a dangerous brawl outside the school on Thursday.
One student at the central Auckland school had to flee from a thug swinging a large knife, while scores of other teens ran for safety after a group lay in wait outside the college at the end of the school day around 3.20pm. No one was hurt in the violent incident, which was captured on video and which police are investigating.
But several parents either told the Herald or wrote on the Onehunga Community Facebook page that they weren’t told quickly enough.
“Thanks for bringing this to my attention”, wrote one mother after a member of the public posted about the incident on the community page.
“My child goes to OHS and I had no clue!”, she wrote about 8am on Friday, just before the school officially told parents.
Another mother told the Herald she was “shocked at the school’s response to such a serious incident”.
“Parents were only officially informed at 8.35 the morning after the incident,” she said in an email.
“For students who did not or could not tell their parents it meant they had to process this event without support. There have been no offers of psychological support for students who witnessed what would have been a terrifying incident.”
Principal Shameen Hayat was in a meeting when the Herald called on Friday, but a colleague said at 3.20pm that the Herald would be sent a response to the criticism that was also due to go out to parents “in the next half hour”.
Some parents complained on the Onehunga Community Facebook page post about the time it took to tell parents what had happened and shared the fears they now had about sending their kids to school.
“A mass email got sent out this morning from the school to parents to reassure us about the safety precautions that are in place. It was a bit late for my liking, but I’m sure Onehunga High was doing damage control last night and early this morning.” wrote one.
“I was feeling really apprehensive about sending my two to school this morning because of the events that occurred but they were so eager to go. They love school and they love attending OHS. So that’s testament in itself to me anyways.”
In Friday morning’s email Hayat told parents all students were safe and the school was working with police.
“They are fully investigating the matter and the MOE [Ministry of Education] is supporting our response. We take the safety of our students seriously and I would like to reassure you that the school is safe.”
Board chairman George Woodward responded to the community page post on Thursday night to tell group members police had been called at the time of the incident, and were investigating.
“We have requested an increased police presence in the community for the time being.”
It was “concerning” to find out about the incident via social media, a parent replied.
“[And to] have no indication from the school that we can assure the safety of our children after an incident like this.”
Armed thugs attack Onehunga High School students with a machete, according to video footage of a violent incident outside the school on Thursday afternoon.
This was exactly what their family were talking about, another parent replied.
“Why do we have to hear of such [an] incident through a community page? That isn’t right at all!”
Outside the school on Friday afternoon, a Herald reporter saw one police car drive by the front of the school two or three times.
Four or five teachers were waiting outside the front of the school gates, but none would comment.
A parent said she was feeling safer seeing a police presence outside the school.
“There are probably a lot more parents [here] than usual. I would suspect so, and I wouldn’t be surprised.”
The school had told parents it was handling the situation, their children’s safety was very important and it was working with police.
“These things happen, it’s all over the country. As a parent, it’s an anxious time.”
Cherie Howie is an Auckland-based reporter who joined the Herald in 2011. She has been a journalist for more than 20 years and specialises in general news and features.
