REFUSAL TO ACT AS REQUESTED

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21281, 28 September 1934, Page 12

REFUSAL TO ACT AS REQUESTED

♦ FENDALTON COMMITTEE'S LETTER TO PARENTS EXCLUSION OF PUPILS FROM OUTSIDE DISTRICTS The Fendalton School Committee does not see its way to act as the Canterbury Education Board requires in the removal from the school of children attending from outside districts. It has called a meeting of the parents concerned, which, it is anticipated, mav be a lively one, and will explain the steps it has taken "to ensure the continued attendance of the children at the Fendaltoji school. 7 ' The Education Board a week aeo adopted a report recommending the exclusion from the Fendalton school of all pupils, other than those in Standard 6, who are living outside the Fendalton district. At the same time a supplementary report was received from the aopointments committee. This report stated that a deputation from the Wharenui j School Committee had waited on it about the ineffectual efforts of the board to have outside pvoils attending the Fendalton school sent back to their own schools. The headmaster of the Fendalton j school (Mr A. R. Blank"), in accord-1 ance with the orders of the board, J has issued to the parents concerned I a circular instructing them to re- j move their children from the school. I Together with this circular, which j was posted to them last night, the ] parents will receive to-day a lur- j ther letter from the school commit- I tee. This letter reads as follows: "Your committee has received a' letter from the Education Board ask-1 ing that it should direct the headmaster to exclude forthwith any pupils, not including Standard 6, who are coming from outside the defined boundaries of the Fendalton district. Your committee cannot see its way to accede to this request. It therefore invites you to attend a meeting at the school on Monday next, October 1, at 7.30 p.m., when it, will, be pleased to explain the steps it has taken to ensure the continued attendance of your child at the Fendalton school."

The letter is signed bv the secretarv, Mr H. F. Penlington. It is understood that more than 100 pupils are affected bv the board s ruling. The chairman of the board. Mr C. S. Thompson, stated last evening that he preferred to make no comment on the committee's action until he heard what was put forward at the meeting to be held on Monday evening.