North Shore school on alert after child reports abduction attempt
A Sydney public school is urging parents to reconsider allowing children to walk to school following an attempted kidnapping on Monday.
Warrawee Public School’s deputy principal, Meriki Barnes, was suspended from her position after it was revealed in an email sent to parents on Tuesday that two teenagers in a car tried to drag a student inside while she was walking home.
The e-mail stated that the child escaped and warned his family.
“As a result of this incident, all teachers reminded children that they should always keep themselves safe through the actions they can take and by immediately reporting incidents. Parents and caregivers can also reinforce these important messages by talking about them,” the statement said.
The school now advises parents to collect their children directly from the gates and discuss “protective behaviour” at home without alarming them.
“Please consider your child’s method of transportation to and from school to ensure they remain as safe as possible,” the email read.
More to come.
Emily Kowal is the education correspondent for The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via email.
