Gerard Tully, the rector of St Patrick’s College at Silverstream, confirmed that a “small number” of year nine students had been suspended after a “most distressing incident of sexual harassment.”
Mr Tully would not give further details of what happened, but said his absolute priority was for the safety, support and recovery of the staff members.
The students have been suspended, pending a hearing with the school Board of Trustees’ discipline sub-committee.
The incident at the Catholic school comes shortly after Wellington College students posted comments on Facebook about having sex with drunk unconscious girls.