Yipirinya school near Alice Springs is in crisis after its former principal, Gavin Morris, was found guilty of physically assaulting four students aged 8 to 13. Morris, who led the school from October 2021, was charged with five assaults in 2024 and found guilty of four in October. Incidents included choking and grabbing students’ ears, with racial slurs also reported. He will be sentenced on Monday. The school has faced ongoing management problems and is under statutory management due to governance issues found by the Northern Territory government. An independent report uncovered serious concerns, including an unexplained $85,000 pay rise to Morris, misuse of school funds, hiring unqualified teachers, and over-enrolling students beyond the school's capacity. More than 60 bullying complaints surfaced in 2024, indicating a poor work environment. The NT government-appointed manager, Stuart Reid, announced up to 20 staff redundancies to save the school, which is $3.7 million in debt and saw enrolment halved to 186 in 2025. Staff and community warn these cuts could cause the school to collapse. The federal government has extended the school’s debt repayment deadline to 2031 and called for funding support. Federal Indigenous Minister Malarndirri McCarthy and local MP Marion Scrymgour emphasized the school's importance and urged reconsideration of staff cuts. Current principal Justin Colley said the school has transformed under new leadership with training and stronger accountability, honoring students’ bravery despite the recent court case.