By ANEEKA SIMONIS
A PAKENHAM school has remained tight-lipped over a claim by a special-needs student who said he was threatened with a Swiss army knife earlier this year.
Year 9 autistic student Ryan Kloppenburg said a group of boys threatened him with open blade knives during a sport class at Pakenham Secondary College on Friday 17 October.
Though the school refused to comment on the issue, police have jumped to its defence by claiming the incident has been blown out of proportion.
“I am satisfied that the boys were just holding a pen and a silver comb,” Senior Sergeant Trevor Teer said.
Ryan alleged that a group of boys walked up to him during a sport class on Friday 17 October and asked, “Have you ever seen someone stabbed with one of these before?” before flashing the open blade knife.
Ryan reported the incident to his teacher, who found nothing in the boys’ pockets, but he claims he saw the boys hand the knives over to another student before they were inspected.
“I thought it was a joke at first,” said Ryan, who has been removed from the sport class.
His concerned mother Tiffany Heckman said she contacted the school several times to understand what they had done to reprimand the students, but was left in the dark for a month.
“I got a shoulder shrug from the school. They told me there was nothing they could do without proof,” Ryan’s mother said.
Tiffany was later told the boys each received an in-school suspension, but said that’s not good enough.
“I want them to be held accountable for frightening Ryan and for them to see how serious this is,” she said.
“If these boys do this now, what are they going to do when they’re adults? They will have no respect for the law.”
Sen Sgt Teer said Youth Resource Officers were sent to speak with the boys from the school which has experienced a downturn in bullying over the past few years.
“The school has conducted its own investigation and found no crime was committed,” he said.
“They have done a great job cleaning up the school in the last five years.”
The family, who remain unsatisfied by the school’s response, are taking up the incident with the state Education Department.
“I want to make sure they don’t do it again to other kids and for them not to talk to me. I don’t want anyone else hurt or scared,” Ryan said.
It is illegal to carry a Swiss army knife in Victoria without a lawful excuse. People found carrying the controlled weapon without just cause can be fined up to $148 or face imprisonment.
