Gold Coast school brawl ‘not a race riot’

Racial tensions were not behind a Gold Coast school brawl that left two principals with bruises and a teacher with a sprained wrist, Education Queensland says.

The teachers were hurt when they tried to intervene in the fight that erupted in the primary school car park of Upper Coomera State College yesterday morning.

Education Queensland is investigating reports that students from Helensvale High School, several kilometres away, were involved.

South east Queensland regional director Glen Hoppner said strong action would be taken against all students involved.

“Absolutely disgraceful behaviour by a couple of students from (Upper Coomera) and some outsiders,” he told reporters today.

“The melee broke out in the car park and from there three teachers went out to try to separate those students and a couple of the teachers got caught up in that.”

A mother who was dropping a young child off at the school was also caught up in the incident as the fight raged around her car.

Mr Hoppner said police were investigating to separate the facts from speculation and rumour.

He denied reports that racial tensions between New Zealand and Australian students were behind the brawl.

“Let me put that absolutely to bed, there is none of that, this had nothing to do with anything of the sort. It’s been absolutely inappropriately reported in that way and in fact the kids and the community are pretty upset by it,” he said.

“We have no evidence of that whatsoever.”

Mr Hoppner said one male and two female teachers were caught up on the fringes of the fight as they tried to intervene.

“Nobody, as has been reported, shaped up to try and aggressively tackle a teacher,” he said.

“Two of the three are back at school today, the third one has a sprained wrist and will be away for a couple of days.

“This certainly isn’t a problem school. This is a school where the performance is high and the confidence the system has in this school is exceptionally high.”

AAP

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