A 14-year-old girl at an east-end school stabbed her principal in the back with a letter opener yesterday as the woman was trying to break up a fight, police say. The teen has subsequently been charged with aggravated assault.
It started as a fistfight about 4 p.m. between two students in an upper-level hallway at D.A. Morrison Junior High School on Gledhill Ave., near Cosburn Ave. and Woodbine Ave., police said.
Two Grade 8 students, both girls, were escorted downstairs to the principal's office to settle the dispute, but instead continued to fight in the office.
Principal Heather DeGraff intervened, but one of the girls grabbed a letter opener off a nearby desk and stabbed her in the back, police say.
DeGraff collapsed, and another staffer called police.
"The student stabbed the principal intentionally because the principal was trying to break the two of them up," explained Sergeant William Kelly. "She suffered a very serious injury. We will be pressing charges."
DeGraff went to Sunnybrook hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
Ambulance officials were afraid to take the letter opener out of her upper left shoulder at the school, fearing that might cause further internal bleeding. So they left it embedded en route to the hospital.
A hospital official later said the implement went all the way through her body, making it difficult to remove.
After surgery, DeGraff was in serious but stable condition with a 10-centimetre wound, police said.
The other girl was injured, but not seriously. She was treated at Toronto East General Hospital and released.
Later, students were in tears, and many staff members lingered at the school in shock. A psychologist was sent to counsel staff last night.
DeGraff was awake and talking to hospital staff and family by 9 p.m.
"She is a very well-liked principal. You wouldn't find anyone saying a bad word about her at that school," said a close friend, who didn't want to be identified. "She's well connected with the kids."
This is the second violent incident at D.A. Morrison in six months. Last November, Emergency Task Force officers stormed the school after a 14-year-old boy repeatedly stabbed a 12-year-old girl, sending her to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Schoolyard bullying has been an increasing problem in recent years, with victims at greater risk of dropping out of school and committing suicide. Toronto schools now offer preventative programs beginning in kindergarten that teach anger management, peer mediation and problem-solving.
Trustee Sheila Cary-Meagher didn't comment directly on yesterday's incident, which is in her ward. But she said provincial budget cuts make it increasingly difficult for schools to cope.
"The resources just aren't available any more to support schools. These cuts have made schools into pressure cookers," Cary-Meagher added.
Friends say DeGraff plans to speak to the news media today
easy with the thug mentality.....
It started as a fistfight about 4 p.m. between two students in an upper-level hallway at D.A. Morrison Junior High School on Gledhill Ave., near Cosburn Ave. and Woodbine Ave., police said.
Two Grade 8 students, both girls, were escorted downstairs to the principal's office to settle the dispute, but instead continued to fight in the office.
Principal Heather DeGraff intervened, but one of the girls grabbed a letter opener off a nearby desk and stabbed her in the back, police say.
DeGraff collapsed, and another staffer called police.
"The student stabbed the principal intentionally because the principal was trying to break the two of them up," explained Sergeant William Kelly. "She suffered a very serious injury. We will be pressing charges."
DeGraff went to Sunnybrook hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
Ambulance officials were afraid to take the letter opener out of her upper left shoulder at the school, fearing that might cause further internal bleeding. So they left it embedded en route to the hospital.
A hospital official later said the implement went all the way through her body, making it difficult to remove.
After surgery, DeGraff was in serious but stable condition with a 10-centimetre wound, police said.
The other girl was injured, but not seriously. She was treated at Toronto East General Hospital and released.
Later, students were in tears, and many staff members lingered at the school in shock. A psychologist was sent to counsel staff last night.
DeGraff was awake and talking to hospital staff and family by 9 p.m.
"She is a very well-liked principal. You wouldn't find anyone saying a bad word about her at that school," said a close friend, who didn't want to be identified. "She's well connected with the kids."
This is the second violent incident at D.A. Morrison in six months. Last November, Emergency Task Force officers stormed the school after a 14-year-old boy repeatedly stabbed a 12-year-old girl, sending her to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Schoolyard bullying has been an increasing problem in recent years, with victims at greater risk of dropping out of school and committing suicide. Toronto schools now offer preventative programs beginning in kindergarten that teach anger management, peer mediation and problem-solving.
Trustee Sheila Cary-Meagher didn't comment directly on yesterday's incident, which is in her ward. But she said provincial budget cuts make it increasingly difficult for schools to cope.
"The resources just aren't available any more to support schools. These cuts have made schools into pressure cookers," Cary-Meagher added.
Friends say DeGraff plans to speak to the news media today
easy with the thug mentality.....
