Tauranga Boys' College spent more than $11,000 on public relations relating to the case of ex-teacher Pinky Green.
Tauranga Boys' College spent more than $11,000 on public relations relating to the case of ex-teacher Pinky Green.
Tauranga Boys’ College spent more than $11,000 on public relations relating to disgraced ex-teacher Pinky Green who sexually harassed students in the 1980s, documents reveal.
The spending has come under fire from a former Tauranga Boys’ College student who also discovered the college spent $45,000 on legal servicesrelating to the historical case of Green, who is now dead.
However, the school has defended its spending, saying such “complex” cases require specialist advice to protect all involved.
The college reviewed the case in 2021 after Marshall complained about how it had been handled and sought a public apology. The review found its 1980s actions were appropriate for the time. Marshall went to other authorities and media and in 2022 the college made a public apology to all former students abused while in the college’s care.
Glenn Marshall sought a public apology from Tauranga Boys' College over historical predatory sexual behaviour toward him by a school teacher. Photo / Warren Buckland
Marshall has made dozens of requests to the school under the Official Information Act (OIA), which revealed the school spent $11,320.61 for external public relations services from March 2022 onwards relating to the Green case.
Marshall told the Bay of Plenty Times he questioned how the school could justify the Green case spending what he viewed as “PR spin” and “damage control” when in his opinion, it continued to “fully stand behind its 1988 and 2020 to 2021 handling of the matter”.
Now living in Napier, Marshall said he was concerned at the spending given the school increased its donation request to parents this year for the first time in more than 20 years.
In a letter to parents and whānau on February 5, OIA documents showed the “voluntary” school donation would rise in 2024 due to increased costs.
Tauranga Boys’ College responds
Principal Andrew Turner said historical sexual abuse claims were “complex” and required the support and expertise of specialist services, both legal and communications, which “unfortunately, cost extra”.
“The college has needed to ensure that its communication with all parties – victims, staff, and community – has been accurate, and appropriate and protects the mana and integrity of all involved – not just the college.
“There are always things you can improve on and learn from in hindsight but from our perspective, based on the information we have received, the school dealt with this matter in 1988 to the best of its ability. The review of this, conducted in 2021/22, confirmed this.”
Turner said the costs included responding to Marshall’s more than 40 OIA requests.
On the school donation increase, Turner said: “I’m disappointed to see a connection being made between our donation and this matter. They are not connected in any way.
“Our school community is not immune to cost increases across a range of resources and services we provide our young men. This is what has prompted the increase in our voluntary donation from $120 to $150.”
Megan Wilson is a health and general news reporter for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post. She has been a journalist since 2021.
