By REBECCA WALSH
A 14-year-old student excluded from an Auckland school last month is doing labouring work as he waits for another school to take him.
Millie Manuel-Nathan said her son Kirk, a fourth-former at Avondale College, had been suspended at the beginning of the term for continual disobedience. He was subsequently excluded by the board of trustees.
Attempts by Avondale College to get him enrolled at three other secondary schools had failed and rather than stay at home he had gone to work for a family friend, she said. "Kirk has been home so long he's bored. I can't get him to do the housework all his life."
Mrs Manuel-Nathan did not believe her son was likely to be accepted anywhere else and she wanted Avondale College to give him a second chance.
She believed the school was prejudiced against Polynesians. Her family are Maori.
"It's happening to quite a lot of Polynesian children in the school. Parents don't take it further because they don't know how to deal with the system. I think a lot of it is prejudice."
But the acting principal of Avondale College, Warren Peat, said Kirk had been given several chances.
In cases where a school was unable to find another school that would accept a student, the matter was referred to the Ministry of Education. Options included correspondence school, or an alternative education centre.
Mr Peat said it was a tragedy Kirk was not attending school but said it was in his parents' interests to take an active approach and knock on doors.
He disputed the claim that the school was prejudiced against Polynesians, saying it took great pride in the 61 nationalities of its students.
Meanwhile, the future of a 13-year-old boy, suspended from the college after he tried to assault a teacher, will be discussed today.
The third-former was suspended on April 7 after he swore at and tried to hit a teacher.
The school board was legally required to hold a hearing into his case within 10 days but did not do so until May 1. A week later, the boy's family received a letter saying he had been excluded from the school. The family were ready to take the matter to the High Court but both sides had agreed yesterday to talk.
No school found for student
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