Dr Diane Solomon Westerhuis, a lecturer in justice studies, said while suspensions for violence in NSW schools had gradually increased in recent years, bullying was getting worse and young people were looking for ways to defend themselves.

“It is becoming more common for kids to carry weapons and it could be related to bullying issues,” Dr Westerhuis said.

“There are bullying programs in place to support kids and so they can report it ... but I’m not sure how successful they are.”

Dr Westerhuis said some children could be carrying knives to appear “macho”, but it was more likely they were seeking weapons for protection.

“I don’t think they ever intend to use them, but because they’re so young they don’t think of the long-term consequences if they pull out a knife and stab someone,” she said.

The issue of violence in schools was brought to national attention this week with the death of 12-year-old student Elliot Fletcher at Brisbane’s St Patrick’s College on Monday.

He died after being stabbed by a 13-year-old fellow pupil who has been charged with his murder.

Also this week at a Sydney school, a 14-year-old boy allegedly threatened three other students with a kitchen knife he’d brought from home, according to police.

Concerns over bullying have also been at the fore in the ongoing debate over the future of Dubbo College.

A NSW Department of Education spokesman was

dismissive of Dr Westerhuis’s opinion.

And despite the opinion of some parents, bringing metal detectors into schools is not the solution, according to Dr Westerhuis who says it’s “a terrible way to go”.

“That’s a real concern of mine because it will make kids feel more insecure and exacerbate the situation.”

The spokesman said it was all “just speculation”, and NSW public schools were among the safest places in the community with “robust” systems in place to provide the best possible protection to students.

“(These events) do not necessarily confirm an escalation in carrying weapons at school (and) they do not indicate that students are feeling less secure in their school playgrounds and classrooms,” he said.

“All NSW public schools have explicit policies about bullying and any form of violence is not tolerated and dealt with under a discipline code developed in consultation with the school and community.”

In 2008, there were 6500 suspensions for violence and almost 400 suspensions for students carrying a knife, firearm or weapon in NSW schools.