Dunedin school dismisses 'ghost town' claim

The first day of school was an empty one for the 13 students who showed up to Rotary Park School in Dunedin. There were 66 students when school ended last year. Photo / Gerard O'Brien

A Dunedin school has dismissed a claim that only 13 pupils turned up for class on Monday, when one parent likened the school to ''a ghost town''.

Thirty pupils were at Rotary Park School today, and school officials are hoping the number will increase with time.

Commissioner Cleave Hay and principal Carmel Casey have rejected the claim that little more than a dozen pupils showed up yesterday.

Mrs Casey said 31 pupils returned to the school, not counting those pupils who were taken away by their parents during a march of solidarity on to the school on Monday morning.

It was earlier reported that a large group of parents was expected to march on to the school's grounds before classes began yesterday, to highlight their concerns about Mrs Carmel Casey, who has been the focus of allegations of incompetent teaching practices and staff bullying at the school.

It was also expected the parents would usher their children out of the school grounds as a show of defiance over her return to the school after being on leave for the past six months.

However, only about half a dozen parents gathered outside the school yesterday morning for the "solidarity march".

The small group of parents met Ministry of Education-appointed commissioner Cleave Hay, Mrs Casey and Dunedin South Labour MP Clare Curran to discuss some of the issues.

While Ms Curran, Mr Hay and some of the parents said it was a positive and emotional meeting, four children were ushered out of the school by their parents following the gathering.

Ms Curran said the main concern from parents was for the safety of their children and the long-term viability of the school.

Mr Hay said many parents did not bring their children to the school yesterday because they had been intimidated by the media's presence at the school gates.

"School has started as usual with a full complement of staff. Many parents have decided not to attend today because of media attention," he said.

A parent who removed his child from the school yesterday said there were only three pupils in one classroom and 10 in another, and believed the school was "stuffed".

"The teachers are in there crying. It's absolutely pathetic.

"There's hardly any kids in there. It's like a ghost town."

He said one teacher left the school at lunchtime, on stress leave for the afternoon, and a relieving teacher was brought in.

The teacher was expected to return today, he said.

"We'd love to keep him [our son] here, but with such a small number of kids, what's the point?"

After the meeting, Mr Hay said he believed the school could stay open with 34 pupils.

"There are smaller schools around than that."

His main priorities now were to create better channels of communication for parents and to try to bring pupils back to the school.

Mr Hay said it was too early to say if the school was still viable on the strength of yesterday's turnout because some pupils might return.

"We'll have a better idea at the end of the week when the roll settles."