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Regional | Facebook

Manurewa school's swift response to schoolyard incident

A video posted online of a James Cook High School student in a wheelchair being harassed has caused an uproar.

The video circulated on Facebook overnight and shows the student in the wheelchair being pushed, then falling from his chair.

The Manurewa high school involved says swift action was taken to ensure the well-being of their students.

Principal Vaughan Couillault said they were alerted to the incident within 60 minutes of it occurring and at the time were dealing with the students concerned.  Principal Couillault said this incident was two boys having an argument about a girl.

He said the families of the two boys convened at the school on Wednesday, and came to a resolution.  The boy pictured in the wheelchair had returned to school yesterday, and as Principal Couillault says, was in "good spirits".

He also says the other students in the video are very remorseful, and since the video was posted online, it seems they are now concerned for their own safety.

Principal Couillault said that while the school had taken swift and appropriate action to deal with the incident that occurred on their grounds on Tuesday, unfortunately social media has made it worse for all involved.

This morning, the school posted this response to concerns on their Facebook page.