FIVE teachers from St Laurence’s College, South Brisbane, have received a group bravery award for their actions when armed assailants entered the school grounds three years ago.
The men – Andrew Kendall, Christopher Oakes, Anthony Samios, Michael Sharkey and Edward Wallace – received a group bravery citation in the Governor General’s Australian Bravery Decorations announced recently.
The men received the honour for assisting students being challenged by the armed assailants on July 28, 2008.
Four of the teachers Mr Ken-dall (1984), Mr Oakes (1996), Mr Samios (1980) and Mr Sharkey (1988) are old boys of the college.
Mr Kendall, St Laurence’s staff dean, said the teachers were all honoured to receive the award but were also very humbled.
He said the incident that involved two groups of armed youths who entered the school grounds during the lunch break happened quickly.
“We just instinctively reacted to look after the boys – to do what had to be done to get the boys safe,” Mr Kendall said.
“On the day, it was all about making sure the boys were okay and protected.”
Mr Kendall said while the award paid tribute to the five teachers, all the boys involved should be remembered.
“I think Chris (Oakes) summed it up when he told the paper (The Courier-Mail) that there was a huge cost to students, and not just the two boys that were injured but all those other boys there and to the youths responsible so we would have preferred that it had never happened,” he said.
Mr Kendall said the teachers had yet to be informed of the date and location of an official award presentation but expected it to be held during September.
