Staff at Tacking Point Public School are calling on the community to help stop vandalism at the school, after a spate of incidents over the past few weeks.
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The general assistant and cleaners at the school were met with a disgusting scene on Monday, March 12, after vandals had come onto school grounds over the weekend, defacing property, smearing faeces on exterior building walls and leaving alcohol bottles and cigarettes in the courtyards.
Principal, Phil Harris said the vandalism and lack of respect was not something students should have to encounter.
“We take great pride in our school and for people to come onto the school grounds after hours and do what they are doing, it is quite invasive and unsavoury,” Mr Harris said.
“It is quite upsetting knowing people are trespassing on school property causing damage which we have to clean up when we arrive at school.
“We are a small community school who are dedicated to helping our students and it is appalling to know this kind of behaviour is happening.
“Our students should not need to be put in a position for them to see these kinds of acts.”
Mr Harris said the incidences are happening on the weekend when staff and students are not on the premises but that doesn’t make the act any less significant.
“We have had fly screens pulled off windows, small fires on the grounds, beer bottles left lying around and a range of other things which our fantastic grounds staff and cleaners have had to clean up before students arrive at school,” he said.
“The places where we are seeing the damage is out of sight of the main road and I think the vandals are purposely coming onto the grounds and creating mischief.”
Teacher librarian Lea Horan said that it is unacceptable.
“These acts are being committed by such a small minority of the Port Macquarie community but I think people would be outraged to know they are happening at all,” Ms Horan said.
“It’s anti social behaviour and there really is no excuse for people to be doing this.
“This is not people having fun, and this is not the culture of Port Macquarie.”
Mr Harris also said that in light of recent events, security at the school has been increased.
“The police have been notified and we have increased security efforts,” he said.
“But we are calling on the local community to help us.
“If you see something not quite right, please contact police.
“The vandals will not win and we will get on top of this but we need the help of the local community.”
