Honeydew Police and Beagle Watch Security were called to Allen Glen High School to restore calm at the school on 21 October. School property was damaged as a number of pupils and some outsiders went on a rampage to celebrate their last 40 days of schooling.
Chairperson of the school’s governing body Chris Oppenshaw said these were individual pupils who were just being rebellious. “We made an announcement that the 40-days tradition will not be allowed on the school premises this year and it looks like these pupils did this to just prove a point.”
He also added with their preliminary investigations, they found that some of the vandals were not even registered pupils at the school.
It is understood that the pupils climbed over the palisade fencing at the school, threw eggs at each other and also broke a few classroom door handles as they went on their pillaging spree. It was also said that some teachers and the principal at the school were assaulted by the unruly pupils.
According to Oppenshaw, “The teachers were trying to protect those pupils who were on school premises and who were not part of these acts and that is when they were assaulted.”
One teacher’s vehicle was damaged in the process and a window was also broken.
Oppenshaw said they were busy with investigations and proper disciplinary measures will be put in place to deal with those found to have had anything to do with the incident. His other concern was the role parents played in disciplining their own children at home. “Some of these things cannot be taught in a classroom; parents should step in and instil discipline in their children from an early age.”
Oppenshaw also mentioned that they have forwarded the matter to the Gauteng Department of Education.
Honeydew Police Spokesperson Warrant Officer Karen Jacobs is still to comment on the matter.
