Anxious parents seek name of school

By STACEY BODGER education reporter

North Shore residents are worried about which school is at the centre of allegations that a teacher - understood to be HIV positive - indecently assaulted a schoolboy.

The public's wish to know the name of the school has led to calls for the lifting of an order suppressing its identity and the name of the teacher.

A 44-year-old male teacher appeared in the North Shore District Court last Thursday, charged with the indecent assault of a 13-year-old boy. He is due to reappear this week.

North Shore MP Wayne Mapp said he had fielded calls about the matter over the weekend. Many were from parents wanting to know the name of the school.

Dr Mapp said he did not know which school was involved.

He understood the need to protect students at the school, but said the suppression caused unhealthy speculation and brought innocent parties under scrutiny.

"It always leaves people wondering - particularly when there is a real community interest, as there is in this case."

Senior staff from the Ministry of Education's Wellington office remained in Auckland over the weekend to advise the school's principal and its board of trustees.

It is understood public health agencies brought in to support parents and students are still working with the school.

Education Minister Trevor Mallard said parents of children at the school had been briefed on the matter and public health aspects had been taken care of.

Graeme McCann, president of the PPTA teachers' union, said the incident presented difficulties for all other schools and teachers on the North Shore.

He was not opposed to initial name suppression but hoped the teacher would later be named to lift suspicion from those not involved.

"It is absolutely crucial for the school to again establish the trust of its community by ensuring that the relationship between teachers and students are appropriate ones."

The ministry's senior Maori communications adviser, Pere Maitai, told the Herald on Friday that the principal would not comment on the matter.

Nor would a "helper" appointed to the school's board of trustees to "assist it through this time."

Mr Maitai said he would comment yesterday on what steps the school was taking to ensure the safety of its students, but he did not return the Herald's calls.