Derogatory Letter On School Board

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29998, 6 December 1962, Page 18

Derogatory Letter On School Board

(From Our Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, December 5. The action of the principal of the Rotorua High School over a pupil’s letter to a newspaper was caused by derogatory comments about members of the governing body of the school, according to the Minister of Education (Mr Tennent) today.

Mr Tennent was replying in Parliament to a question by Mr N. E. Kirk (Opposition, Lyttelton) who asked him what action, if any, he would take to “deal with this ridiculous and unwarranted intimidation of a New Zealand youngster who has done no more than fairly exercise the basic rights and freedom of the individual.” Mr Kirk referred to a report that the pupil had been suspended from school and threatened with expulsion unless he wrote a letter of apology to the school board for having written to a newspaper criticising school caps and uniforms. Subsequent reports indicated that the letter contained derogatory comments about the governing body, said Mr Tennent. “The principal’s action related solely to those comments. The pupil has since apologised to the board, but in any event it would not be proper for me to attempt to intervene in a matter which is clearly the domestic concern of the authorities responsible for the control of the Rotorua Boys’ High School and the discipline of its pupils,” said Mr Tennent. Mr Kirk then asked: “Could the Minister indicate if in obtaining such an apology it is necessary to suspend a boy or threaten expulsion in such circumstances?” “I am in agreement with the action of the headmaster,” said Mr Tennent. “The boy concerned had a record in the school which any boy would not be proud of. Had the headmaster done less I consider he would have failed in his duty.” Mr W. H. Brown (Government, Palmerston North) asked if Mr Tennent would assure Mr Kirk and the House that discipline still had a place in the education system. “I can give the House that assurance,” said Mr Tennent.