Police have launched an investigation into threatening emails that were sent to 19 Sydney schools on Tuesday morning, forcing students to evacuate and disrupting HSC exams.
Staff and students – including many sitting their HSC legal studies examination – were evacuated from at least 19 high schools, police confirmed, after the emails were reported to authorities.
A lower north shore high school was the first to alert police of the anonymous email, which made threats towards the school, just before 11am.
"Since that time, at least another 18 high schools across Sydney have received similar threatening emails," a police statement issued on Tuesday afternoon said.
"Local officers are being assisted by specialist officers to conduct extensive searches at each of the schools, but no items of interest have been located at this time."
Schools understood to have been affected include Willoughby Girls High, Castle Hill High, Thomas Reddall High, Mount Annan High, Elizabeth Macarthur High, Picnic Point High, Baulkham Hills High, Bossley Park High and Jamison High. Willoughby Public School, adjacent to the high school, was also evacuated.
Police believe the threats are linked, and detectives from the cybercrime squad will lead the investigation into the circumstances and origins of the emails.
The Department of Education said schools had implemented their emergency response plans and it would work closely with NSW Police and provide support to staff and students as required.
Students from Willoughby Public School and Willoughby Girls High School were evacuated to a nearby park after threatening emails were sent to the school.Credit:Janie Barrett
Education Minister Sarah Mitchell at midday said she had only received "very preliminary" advice on the unfolding matter, but she expected to receive more information on Tuesday afternoon.
"Obviously that would be very distressing to students, if their exams have been disrupted due to a threat of that nature," she said.
She reminded students and schools they could apply for misadventure provisions if they believed the evacuation had affected their exam performance.
"We have very clear protocols in place to assist schools if there is any issue that affects an exam," she said. "They are able to apply for illness and misadventure provisions through NESA (NSW Education Standards Authority)."
A NESA spokeswoman said the authority was aware of reports that a number of Sydney high schools had to activate their emergency response plans on Tuesday.
"NESA is working with the school sectors to understand the impact on HSC exams," she said.
"Protecting the safety of students and the school community is the priority. Impacted students will not continue exams unless it is safe to do so.
"Schools will submit to NESA group applications for illness and misadventure on behalf of impacted students. No student will have to re-sit an exam."
A number of schools were understood to have been affected.Credit:Janie Barrett
HSC examinations for legal studies and classical Hebrew extension were scheduled for Tuesday morning.
Castle Hill High year 12 student Josh Gatt had an hour left of his legal studies exam when an announcement was made that he and his classmates would have to move to the oval.
"A lot of people's initial reaction was 'this can’t be real'," he said.
The group were sent home an hour later, after their exam was due to end. He said his class had been told they were going to submit a group application for misadventure.
Pictures posted on Facebook showed Castle Hill High students evacuated from their HSC exam on Tuesday.Credit:Facebook/Josh Gatt
"Most people are worried about how it will be marked," he said, noting many of his classmates had other exams this week they were now even more stressed about.
"[There are] a lot of questions to be answered," he said of the emails.
At Mount Annan High, the evacuation happened with about 45 minutes to go in the popular legal studies exam.
Year 12 student Flynn Costello said he was "lucky enough" to have completed his paper just as the group were told they needed to leave the room.
"It was quite frustrating for the few students that didn't get to complete their exam, but a few schools were affected by this," he said.
Picnic Point High School parents were alerted to the situation after midday. "The school received a hoax email which was reported to the police and school security who advised that an evacuation was necessary," the email said.
"Students have now been allowed back into school."
But Castle Hill High School students said they were still waiting on the oval after 2pm. "I just hope we get out soon," one said.
Police are reminding the community that sending threatening emails is a serious criminal offence.
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Mary Ward is a reporter at The Sydney Morning Herald.
Natassia is the education reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald.
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2020-10-27 05:07:00Z
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