EDUCATION authorities were forced to send security officers and guard dogs to the troubled Aboriginal community of Aurukun over the school holidays to protect teachers and property from violent attacks.
Teachers working in the Cape York community are escorted to and from school from a secure housing, and rarely venture out at night following rolling violence in the community.
A Queensland Education spokesman said the additional security measures were implemented to ensure the safety of the school’s 15 teachers.
"The deployment of additional security measures at the Aurukun campus of Western Cape College is in direct response to recent break-ins at staff residences and the college during the holidays," the spokesman said.
Two weeks ago, a group of youths was questioned after a teacher’s house was broken into.
The community’s Mayor, Neville Pootchemunka, said it was plagued by gangs of youths who roamed streets unsupervised, often because their parents were drinking at the town’s canteen. He said problems with the town’s youths were exacerbated because the community could not attract permanent police officers.
"When you have police here on four-month rotations, it is difficult to have any continuity. You have to brief the new officers all the time, and they don’t really get to know the people," Mr Pootchemunka said. "There is little parental supervision, so the kids get up to all sorts of mischief."