Post by kokonutwoman on Nov 5, 2009 7:18:42 GMT 12
Violence a police matter, schools told
By NATHAN BEAUMONT, MATT CALMAN - The Dominion Post
Violent pupils may be dealt with by police instead of schools as principals' fears grow about the legal consequences of bullying and assaults.
They are being told to report serious bullying and violent episodes that happen outside school hours to police, rather than take action themselves. But principals fear victims' parents will take legal action against schools if they ignore incidents.
The advice from a principals' union follows a spate of violence and pupil injuries, raising concerns about the murky laws.
A 13-year-old girl says she was lured to a Wellington park, beaten and left semi-conscious as up to 70 children watched and filmed the attack. Onslow College principal Hamish Davidson said his school had sought legal advice from the School Trustees Association over the incident.
He could not take formal disciplinary action to suspend the accused girls because the incident happened off school grounds, he said. Otherwise, the school would have taken "immediate, decisive action".
The association, which represents about 90 per cent of boards, said the rules were unclear and its advice to schools often differed. "It's an issue that needs to be looked at," president Lorraine Kerr said.
The Secondary Principals Association, representing about 300 principals, said there was often a "grey area" around duty-of-care responsibilities for schools in incidents that happened away from school grounds.
But president Peter Gall said principals should not hesitate to involve police. "The general rule of thumb is if a kid is on their way to school or home and they are identified as a student from a school, they are under that school's discipline.
"The tricky thing is when kids ... call in at a mate's place for two hours and then get up to mischief while still in school uniform.
"That's a difficult one. Does there need to be a test case before something is done? That's the big fear."
The Education Ministry said schools could take action on serious incidents outside school hours. But they were also able to involve police if the incident was serious.
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Assault and battery is assault, charge them.
My understanding is that if your child are still in school uniform then you are still under the school discipline until you walk into your home. Come on MOE step up to the mark.
By NATHAN BEAUMONT, MATT CALMAN - The Dominion Post
Violent pupils may be dealt with by police instead of schools as principals' fears grow about the legal consequences of bullying and assaults.
They are being told to report serious bullying and violent episodes that happen outside school hours to police, rather than take action themselves. But principals fear victims' parents will take legal action against schools if they ignore incidents.
The advice from a principals' union follows a spate of violence and pupil injuries, raising concerns about the murky laws.
A 13-year-old girl says she was lured to a Wellington park, beaten and left semi-conscious as up to 70 children watched and filmed the attack. Onslow College principal Hamish Davidson said his school had sought legal advice from the School Trustees Association over the incident.
He could not take formal disciplinary action to suspend the accused girls because the incident happened off school grounds, he said. Otherwise, the school would have taken "immediate, decisive action".
The association, which represents about 90 per cent of boards, said the rules were unclear and its advice to schools often differed. "It's an issue that needs to be looked at," president Lorraine Kerr said.
The Secondary Principals Association, representing about 300 principals, said there was often a "grey area" around duty-of-care responsibilities for schools in incidents that happened away from school grounds.
But president Peter Gall said principals should not hesitate to involve police. "The general rule of thumb is if a kid is on their way to school or home and they are identified as a student from a school, they are under that school's discipline.
"The tricky thing is when kids ... call in at a mate's place for two hours and then get up to mischief while still in school uniform.
"That's a difficult one. Does there need to be a test case before something is done? That's the big fear."
The Education Ministry said schools could take action on serious incidents outside school hours. But they were also able to involve police if the incident was serious.
---------------------------
Assault and battery is assault, charge them.
My understanding is that if your child are still in school uniform then you are still under the school discipline until you walk into your home. Come on MOE step up to the mark.
