A teacher was injured when a student allegedly lashed out after being asked to put their phone away at Tauranga’s Ōtūmoetai College. 

Police received a report of a serious assault at the school on Windsor Rd about 10.15am on Tuesday. 

“One person received injuries and was transported to a nearby medical centre to be assessed,” police said. 

Officers were speaking to one person about the matter, and inquiries were continuing. 

Ōtūmoetai College principal Russell Gordon said the school was investigating an incident involving a student and a teacher. 

“This incident involved a single student who was asked to put their phone away,” he said, adding that the phone was not confiscated. 

The incident resulted in the teacher being taken to Accident and HealthCare on 2nd Ave as a precaution, before being sent home to recuperate. 

“We have involved the police, and they are conducting their inquiries,” Gordon said. 

All college procedures and policies were followed “swiftly and effectively by our staff immediately after the incident”. 

The college had a zero-tolerance policy for antisocial or violent behaviour. 

“As principal, I fully support the board’s unwavering stance on this. We are committed to fostering a safe and respectful environment, and any behaviour compromising this will be met with serious consequences.” 

He said the school adhered to the nationwide ban on phone use in schools, “unless the teacher uses their discretion to allow it for educational purposes”. 

Students who witnessed the event had been offered counselling services, and their families were contacted immediately. 

“We are diligently working to ensure all appropriate actions are taken in line with our policies and legal requirements.” 

He declined to provide further details while the school investigated the incident.