Our View: Why our schools must act openly

The often-quoted phrase "Not only must justice be done; it must also be seen to be done" has been a tenet of our justice system for many decades.
We all want to be comfortable that our system of law is serving us correctly and fairly.
Fay and Jill Baylis don't feel they have seen justice done after their complaints to Tauranga Girls' College over a classroom assault.
As told in the Bay of Plenty Times, Year 13 student Fay Baylis said she was "strangled" in an attack in which a group of girls pushed their way into a physics class and shoved a teacher out of the way.
As the attack ended and the girls left the classroom, one told Fay: "I'm going to kill you."
The group of girls followed Fay to her classroom after a lunchtime incident. Fay said she did nothing to provoke the other group.
Fay and her mother, Jill, spoke up about the assault, which took place two weeks ago, because they felt not enough had been done by the school.
Quite simply, they want justice to be seen to be done.
Principal Pauline Cowens said she was satisfied with how the school was dealing with the incident.
Mrs Baylis is disgusted at the school's response and lack of communication with her family.
There are also concerns over the lack of involvement of police.
Fay says she was strangled by one of the girls, a serious charge in anyone's language. You have to wonder how the police could not be informed given the seriousness of the charge.
We recently reported about an initiative at Otumoetai College to involve police in college life.
Principal Dave Randell said the school had asked the police to come to the school as part of the school's proactive initiatives to keep students safe.
Rather than hiding behind the school "walls", Mr Randell openly embraces the assistance offered by police and seeks their attendance after violent or drug-related incidents.
Students, particularly teenage ones who are prepared to push boundaries, need to know the consequences of their actions.
Police can make those consequences abundantly clear.
Schools must act openly, decisively and appropriately in dealing with incidents similar to what Fay Baylis endured earlier this month.
Related story: Girl choked at Tauranga Girls' College