26 Sep 2013

More investigations into school violence in American Samoa

6:54 pm on 26 September 2013

The Department of Education is investigating reports of more violence involving high school students before making a decision on whether to resume school sports.

The department cancelled all sports events last week after three students were hospitalised and a school bus badly damaged when stones were thrown at it following a high school volleyball game.

The director of education, Vaitinasa Dr Salu Hunkin-Finau, says they have reports of more fighting this week - at the airport on Monday night, and over the weekend a woman wearing a Fagaitua High School uniform was beaten at Nu;uuli.

The director says they will try to substantiate these reports before making a decision on the sports ban.

Meanwhile the Sua county coalition has invited the director to a meeting on Friday to discuss ways the county can stop the student violence.

Vaitinasa says this is the type of involvement the department likes to see from villages and districts.

She says if all the county leaders would step up to the plate, their decisions would filter down to the village and the families involved.