The devastated mother of a boy who allegedly pulled a knife on his classmate has broken down in tears explaining that he has been relentlessly bullied for years.
Footage circulating online allegedly showed the teen, 14, threatening a female student with a weapon during a science class at Gilmore College, in Perth’s southwest, on Monday.
The dispute allegedly began when the girl grabbed the boy’s umbrella.
The 14-year-old boy has since been expelled from the school and charged with Going Armed to Cause Fear.
Now, his mother has revealed her son has autism and other learning difficulties and his alleged actions were a reaction to constantly being antagonised by peers.
‘I will always, always love him,’ she told 9News through a cracked voice and tears.
‘I will always stand by him and I know why it happened. I wish I could have been there to encourage him to make better choices.’
The mother (pictured) of a boy who allegedly pulled a knife on a female classmate has revealed her son, who has autism and other learning difficulties, has been bullied for years
While the mother does not condone him allegedly taking a knife to school, she is calling for more to be done to stop bullying.
The boy faced Rockingham Children’s Court on Wednesday where he was granted bail and expressed his intentions to fight the charge.
His lawyer claimed the girl had deliberately tried to provoke him and asked her friends to film the incident.
In the video, the boy appears to open his backpack and pulls out what appears to be a large kitchen knife.
He then allegedly points it at the girl, prompting some classmates to hide underneath desks.
The alleged altercation eventually ends once a teacher from the Orelia school intervenes and takes the knife.
Disturbing footage circulating online allegedly shows a boy pulling a knife on a female peer during an argument over an umbrella at Gilmore College, in Perth
The boy’s lawyer told court on Wednesday he will argue the girl provoked him and had her friends film the incident
WA Police said no one was injured during the incident.
Education Department director-general Lisa Rodgers said the student has since been expelled.
‘This is a shocking incident, and we are supporting the students and staff who have been impacted,’ she said.
‘This behaviour is not acceptable and fortunately no one was hurt.
‘Schools do the best they can to support students, however, there needs to be a line in the sand when students threaten the safety of others.’
Premier Mark McGowan said the incident was completely unacceptable.
‘That’s why we put in place the enhanced suspension and discipline policy last year,’ he said.
‘That allows schools to much more easily suspend, and if absolutely necessary, expel students who cause that sort of violence and disruption in the classroom.’
The incident comes after a 17-year-old boy was hospitalised after allegedly being stabbed by another student at the same school in October 2020.
A 14-year-old boy was subsequently charged with unlawful wounding.
Police pictured at the school following the incident at the Orelia school on Monday
