Following the report of a shocking incident involving a teenage boy from St John Henry Newman Catholic School in Carlisle last week, Cumberland Council have been and continue to work closely with school leaders, Cumbria Police, Anti Racism Cumbria and Multi-Cultural Cumbria to provide support to affected students, their families and to the wider school community.
Both school and council leaders condemn the attack that occurred in the strongest terms.
Declan McArdle, Deputy Headteacher from St John Henry Newman Catholic School said: “The whole school community has been shocked by the appalling events which took place last Friday afternoon. The actions of the individuals concerned fly in the face of our Catholic ethos of inclusion, diversity and belonging to which the school is committed. These are values which we believe are shared by the vast majority of our pupils, our parents, as well as all our staff, and which we will be reaffirm in response to this disgraceful incident.
“We will work tirelessly to address the root causes of such hateful behaviour and ensure that our school is a safe and welcoming space for everyone, regardless of race, ethnicity, or background.
“Above all, our thoughts are with the boy himself, his family and friends who the whole school and Local Authority are supporting in every way we can to recover from this very distressing incident.
“If your child has any concerns or questions relating to this incident, we will be there to support them. This offer is also there for parents and carers.”
Cllr Mark Fryer, Leader of Cumberland Council added: “I was extremely shocked and sickened to hear of the very serious incident involving a young person in our city and welcome the quick action from the Police.
“The pupil and his family at the centre of this are being supported by the Police as well as officers from our Children and Family Wellbeing team.
“Our schools and communities should be inclusive and welcoming environments for all and there is absolutely no place in our society for such horrific and hateful acts. I am committed to addressing systemic racism and making Cumberland a fairer and safe place to live.
“The school is fully investigating this matter and taking the appropriate action and are working hard to ensure necessary support is provided and that this never happens again.”
Martin Birch, Director of Children and Family Wellbeing at Cumberland Council, stated: "My team and I have maintained regular contact with the student and their family, as well as with the school, offering support and ensuring the necessary assistance and guidance are readily available.
“We are committed to cultivating safe, supportive, and inclusive school environments across Cumberland, and our team will continue to work closely with Newman School to ensure that both the affected individuals and staff receive the support they need during this challenging time."
Temporary Superintendent Gill Cherry from Cumbria Police said: “We continue to reassure the community that we take this incident extremely seriously. We understand an incident like this can be concerning for many and has caused shock to anyone viewing the images circulating online. Additional patrols have been deployed in the area and we will continue to engage with key community stakeholders as our investigation continues.”
Anyone with information is asked to call the Police on 101.