http://www.stuff.co.nz/4866786a11.html

Teacher stabbed at Auckland high school

Stuff.co.nz | Tuesday, 03 March 2009

An international student has been arrested after a teacher was stabbed in the back while writing on the classroom whiteboard at Auckland’s Avondale College.

The 50-year-old teacher – ‘Mr Warren’, according to information given to students – was taken to Auckland Hospital in a serious condition with wounds to the top of his back. The incident happened at 11.42am.

“A student stabbed a teacher in the back while he was writing on the whiteboard,” a police spokesman said. The student then “just walked off”.

A police statement said a 17-year-old international student was found at a Blockhouse Bay property about an hour after the stabbing and was arrested by police. An associate of the Korean teenager – who had only been at Avondale College for a couple of weeks – was also at the home and assisting police.

About 20 students were in the class at the time of the stabbing – the third period of the school day – and are receiving counselling.

One shocked student being propped up by her father was led from the school gates about an hour after the stabbing. Too upset to speak to media, she only nodded when asked if she’d seen the teacher be stabbed.

The classroom where the stabbing happened has been cordoned off.

College principal Brent Lewis said the school was now in “lockdown”. While the incident was very upsetting, he now had to concentrate on dealing with students and staff.

“My emotions don’t come into it at the moment.”

Mr Lewis said he had been trying to keep students fully informed about what had happened.

- with NZPA