Student in window-smashing rampage

An Albany Junior High School student has been suspended. Photo / Paul Estcourt

An out-of-control student caused hundreds of dollars worth of damage in a rampage during which he smashed windows and attacked his steel locker.

The Herald has been told the Year 10 Albany Junior High student lost control towards the end of the day following a disagreement with his girlfriend.

He then spent the next 20 minutes on an "uncontrolled rampage" through the school grounds smashing glass doors and windows while being closely followed by three concerned staff members.

"According to other students this boy was angry over something to do with his girlfriend," said one parent who did not want to be named.

"He had already physically pushed one of the teachers back very aggressively and obscenely abused them in front of other students.

"He was roaming from block to block smashing these glass doors ... the teachers were asking him to leave the grounds but he refused to go.

"The boy ended up hurting himself when he punched a steel locker so hard that he broke his hand."

Principal Mike Jackson confirmed a Year 10 student was involved in an incident at the school last Tuesday but denied it ended with broken bones.

"Roughly about four or five windows were broken. The boy was supervised by staff and nobody was hurt or injured.

"They certainly followed him around to keep an eye on him to make sure he was safe and others were okay. It's not a good thing for staff to manhandle students so they let him calm down, as they absolutely should do, and just made sure he was safe and no one got hurt.

"In the end he calmed down, the family was called and he was taken home."

Mr Jackson believed the boy kicked his locker but didn't think he had broken any bones.

"As far as I know he didn't damage his hand, he took the skin off it but he certainly didn't break it."

While the bill for the damage had not yet arrived, he estimated it would be hundreds of dollars - a cost the boy's family would be asked to cover.

The boy, who has not been at the school for long, has been suspended and will face the board of trustees tomorrow night for a hearing to determine his future at the school.

However, the term finishes on Friday and the school goes only to Year 10.

Mr Jackson said there weren't many other students around at the time as most were heading home.

He also praised the staff members involved, saying "they did exactly the right thing" as their priority was ensuring the safety of others.