Five pupils excluded after fight at school

Jun 12 2008 by Graham Fraser

FIVE pupils from Calderside Academy who were involved in a large fight at the school two weeks ago have now been excluded.

As the Advertiser reported last week, four pupils at the school were held by police after a serious scuffle broke out at around 1pm on Thursday, May 29.

The fight broke out at the front door of the building.

It is understood that some of the boys involved were not pupils at Calderside. Unconfirmed reports claim they charged into the school armed with weapons as they searched for a pupil.

A 16-year-old boy who attends Calderside was also taken to Hairmyres Hospital with a facial injury following the fight.

A spokesperson for South Lanarkshire Council said this week: “We can confirm that the school have excluded the pupils involved in the incident.

“As this matter is being investigated by the police, it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time.”

A number of Blantyre police officers, who are stationed nearby, were called to the building to deal with the incident at the time.

In a letter sent to the Advertiser, one worried parent commented: “My son came home from school frightened and upset, and told me that blood was all over the floors.

“He said boys came into the school with weapons to get a pupil at the school. Police were everywhere at lunchtime.”

The four pupils who were held by the police after the fight were reported to the Children’s Panel.

One of the boys is in his second year at the school, while two others are in third year. The last boy is in fourth year.

Police said none of the boys were arrested.

Independent Blantyre councillor Bert Thomson commented: “I am very concerned with anything that happens at the school. I have been contacted by a few parents since the incident and they are hoping to be kept up-to-date with information.

“It is understandable if pupils, parents and teachers feel apprehensive after incidents such as this, so I have been in constant contact with the school. I have been very alarmed by this and I hope it is just an isolated incident.

“Calderside Academy is a landmark school and it is a real shame that negative incidents over the past few months have marred this.”