Knife gets student thrown out of school

A 13-year-old student pulled a knife on a teaching assistant in Inuksuk High School on Tuesday, Dec. 6.

The student has been suspended from school for 20 days, with a recommendation to expel. Criminal charges are still pending, according to police.

The incident occurred in the school hallways while classes were in session. Two students burst from one classroom, one chasing another down the hall. A classroom support assistant stopped the child in pursuit and pinned him against a row of lockers.

That’s when the student drew a small folding knife, just longer than a pen once unfolded.

When four police officers arrived at the scene shortly afterwards, the student had already been disarmed and was speaking to a school counselor. Police arrested the child, who has since been released to his family.

“The school is safe,” said Christa Kunuk, chair of the Iqaluit District Education Authority, who otherwise remained tight-lipped about the incident.

School staff were told by IDEA not to speak to the media about the incident, according to principal Terry Young.