Teachers dial 111 as thugs terrorise school

A group of up to 15 "thugs" armed with wood and a hammer terrorised an Auckland high school, leaving the principal, a teacher and a student injured.

The gang refused to leave Onehunga High School when confronted by staff about 2pm on Monday.

The intruders started hitting and punching anyone who got in their way, including principal Chris Saunders, a maths teacher and a senior student.

Mr Saunders, who has recently returned to Onehunga High after a secondment at the new Botany Downs College in Manukau City, was hit by a piece of 4x2 and cut on his earlobe. A teacher reportedly had teeth knocked out.

"It was incredibly intimidating," Mr Saunders told 3 News last night.

"There was no way they were going to negotiate, there was no way they could be spoken to."

Mr Saunders has criticised the police response, saying his staff made five 111 calls before help arrived.

The Northern Communications Centre would not comment last night but it is understood units were dispatched to Onehunga High within three minutes of the first call and arrived in 10 minutes.

Senior Sergeant Donovan Clarke said two patrol cars and the dog unit were sent to the school after police received a report about a group of youths sitting in a car.

"By the time our units got there everyone had left," he said.

Police took statements from staff and were now hunting those responsible.

Mr Clarke said he was disgusted by the daylight attack in a school ground. "It's not common for a group of thugs to go on school grounds and assault a teacher. Police will be investigating to make sure that these offenders will be dealt with."

A St John spokesman said an ambulance was called to the school but no one was taken to hospital.

It is understood Mr Saunders and the teacher were treated for injuries in hospital later.

Secondary Schools Association president Graham Young said his sympathies went out to the victims of the attack.

He believed it was more of a "one-off thing" rather than a sign of growing violence in schools.

A Year 12 student told the Herald everyone at Onehunga High was talking about the assault yesterday.

"It's kind of scary," she said.

Students received a newsletter yesterday outlining what had happened and urging parents to contact Mr Saunders if they were worried.