Kalgoorlie-Boulder Community High School: Six suspensions issued on average every single day in 2024

A notoriously violent WA public school has issued an average of six suspensions every school day despite a major review and crackdown almost a decade ago to tackle antisocial behaviour of problem students. Documents obtained by The Sunday Times show Kalgoorlie-Boulder Community High School issued a staggering 1066 suspensions to students in 2024, a 20 per cent increase in 12 months, compared with the 892 issued in 2023. There are just 866 students at the troubled regional high school. In 2016, the Department of Education was forced to hold an independent review into the escalating violence at the school, prompted by the suspension of 83 students in just one month. At the time, uniformed police had to be stationed at the campus and conduct patrols during recess breaks after a spate of incidents, including a serious assault on a female teacher. A scathing report handed down following the review cited poor leadership and failures by staff to set clear expectations for student behaviour had contributed to the cultural issues. The Cook Government celebrated its success in 2018 at reducing the suspension rate by 22 per cent but it has remained quiet on any action as the cultural problems have escalated once again. Teachers and staff at Kalgoorlie-Boulder Community High School have been doing their best since the review to try and address the antisocial behaviour but are not getting the support they need, according to Matt Jarman, president of the State School Teachers’ Union. “Unfortunately, the central system support and that investment from the State Government remains absent,” Mr Jarman said. “The school is doing its job well to manage challenges that originate in the broader community.” Education Minister Sabine Winton last month held meetings with representatives from several public schools, including Kalgoorlie-Boulder, alongside union members, to discuss how best to ensure everyone’s safety. “The feedback received will be collated and used to help inform ongoing work, ensuring our Government continues to build on the strong supports and processes already in place,” she said this week “This includes our strengthened 10-point action plan, which gives principals the power to automatically suspend or move to exclude students that instigate violence. “I understand that Kalgoorlie-Boulder Community High School has implemented a number of measures to address antisocial behaviour, and support students and staff, including additional student support officers, a youth support officer, and a range of programs to foster positive engagement.“ Department of Education documents show that Aveley Secondary College in Ellenbrook is also experiencing its own challenges with problem students — issuing 978 suspensions in 2024 — a 50 per cent increase on the 637 suspensions in 2023. “Under this Government, violence and bad behaviour in schools have hit record levels and we see that reflected in these suspension figures,” shadow education minister Liam Staltari said. “There’s no doubt that the school’s teachers and leaders are doing the best they can with the resources they have. It’s little wonder that teacher resignations have also hit new records in WA — more than doubling in the last five years.” There were 19,989 individual students suspended at public schools in 2024, down slightly from 21,565 in the year prior.