Life is becoming a battlefield for New Zealand teenagers and increasingly they are using weapons.
One former Blenheim student has told ONE News of incessant bullying which he says forced him to drop out of school for his own safety.
Andrew Sowman, 15, has opted for home schooling, claiming he was bullied for two years and that in the end he was only going to school 35% of the time.
He left Marlborough Boys' College earlier this year, saying his looks led to taunts.
"Because I'm overweight mainly how it started...and long hair."
Sowman also says he was physically abused and so were others.
"They threw a book at one of my friends...one of them walked over, punched one of my friends."
Eventually his parents had enough and withdrew their son from school.
"This was something we had to do to ensure (a) Andrew's safety and (b) any chance of him achieving academically," says his father Phil Sowman.
When asked if there is any bullying at the school, board chairman Peter O'Keeffe acknowledged that "as there is in any workplace or school we have to accept that does occur".
Another parent who did not want to be identified because of fears of retribution told ONE News some of the students are arming themselves for protection. She says last year more than 25 knives were confiscated and this year seven have been collected.
She told ONE News reporter Brent Fraser that she is alarmed that they could be used and also at the thought that children are carrying them. She says the ones that were confiscated were taken from children between the age of 13 and 15.
Blenheim police have confirmed that they are investigating allegations of bullying at Marlborough Boys' College but would not be interviewed and said the matter is confidential.
O'Keeffe says the school responds to each and every incident that occurs.
"We talk to the bullies and they face consequences...we also work with the victims...which is really important because we need to look after them."
TVNZ understands at least one student is temporarily suspended from the school after breaking a boy's nose just over a week ago.
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