Police in schools: parents must be told what safety looks like after terror charges

Parents at Northern Territory Catholic schools have been warned to expect an increased police presence after two teenagers were charged with terrorism-related offences within a week. That short sentence contains several layers of anxiety: for parents fearful for their children’s safety, for teenagers being treated as criminal suspects, and for school communities suddenly strangers to a heightened law-and-order response. When the safety of children is in doubt, schools and families understandably want decisive action. Police visibility can deter wrongdoing and provide reassurance. But increasing police presence in and around schools is not a neutral policy choice; it reshapes the daily experience of students and the relationship between education and the criminal justice system. Parents deserve clarity. Warnings that police will be more present are not the same as an explanation of what that presence will look like, what powers officers will exercise on school grounds, or how schools will protect the privacy and wellbeing of other students. Nor is there any public detail here about the support being offered to young people who might be vulnerable or exposed to radicalising influences. The charges of two teenagers are serious and must be dealt with through the legal process. But there is a real risk that a swift turn to policing will crowd out other responses that reduce risk over the longer term: pastoral care, targeted counselling, specialist youth services and engagement with minority communities who may feel alienated or stigmatised by heavy-handed responses. Schools are places of learning and development; their response to serious incidents should reflect that role as well as the need to keep everyone safe. Authorities also need to be mindful of the chilling effect a sustained police presence can have. Young people who are already marginalised may be further alienated if they feel they are being policed rather than supported. Parents from communities that have fraught relationships with police will naturally worry about escalation and the consequences of minor incidents being treated as criminal matters. What is required is a clear, public plan that balances immediate safety with sustained support. Education authorities and police should set out how they will coordinate: what rules will govern searches or questioning on school premises, how information will be shared with families, and what pastoral services will be provided to students and staff. Independent oversight and avenues for parents to raise concerns should be part of the arrangement. This is also a moment for investment in prevention. If two teenagers in a jurisdiction face terrorism-related charges within a week, questions need to be asked about how young people are being reached early — through community programs, schools, mental health services and local engagement — to prevent radicalisation and to provide alternatives. Heightened police presence may be part of a necessary immediate response. But it should not be the only part. Parents and school communities need transparency, protections for students’ rights, and parallel commitments to pastoral care and prevention. Without those, increased patrols risk managing symptoms rather than addressing the causes of such worrying incidents.