Ex-students back Benson-Pope over attack allegations

Former students of David Benson-Pope yesterday reacted to allegations that he meted out cruel punishments as a teacher - with the vast majority speaking out in his defence.

The Herald received numerous emails from people taught by the Associate Education Minister during his 24 years at Bayfield High School in Dunedin.

Only two expressed a negative opinion about the 55-year-old, who was known as "BP" to his students.

Neither recalled instances of physical abuse of the kind that have forced him to step down from Cabinet.

Comments from former students in online chatrooms also supported the embattled politician, who faces claims of abuse from five ex-pupils.

Three of the five appeared on TV3 on Monday night, one alleging that Mr Benson-Pope had jammed a tennis ball in his mouth for talking in class when he was 14.

Other accusations included that Mr Benson-Pope, who has denied the allegations, threw tennis balls at students and hit them on the head with a tennis ball attached to an arrow.

He was also said to have caned a student hard enough to draw blood.

The closest account of such behaviour among the emails to the Herald yesterday came from a man named Reuben Bathgate.

Mr Bathgate, who was a student at Bayfield from 1986 to 1990, said he recalled the tennis balls and the arrow with the tennis ball attached.

"I recall being intimidated by BP as a third/fourth former and made to feel stupid, but wasn't physically abused personally."

Mr Bathgate, who was taught German by Mr Benson-Pope for two years and went on school camp with him, said his manner could be "very gruff at times".

But Mr Bathgate reiterated at the end of the email that "apart from being scared of him at times I can recall no incidences of physical abuse".

Nor did the other negative email, from an unnamed person, substantiate the claims of abuse.

"I would not put it past him doing these things. He used to get angry but I cannot remember specific details - my memories are a bit faded," the email read.

Nicola Peters was one of nine former students, six women and three men, who defended Mr Benson-Pope.

A student in the same years as Mr Bathgate, Mrs Peters said her former teacher was "always a little unconventional", recalling him having a large syringe filled with water in the classroom when she was in third form.

"He used to squirt water at us if we were talking too much, but it was always done in a lighthearted manner."

She said he was a person you either loved or hated.

"I 'loved' (i.e. got on well with) him. I look back on my time as a student of his with affection," she wrote.

The others also painted a glowing picture of Mr Benson-Pope as a teacher, many saying they found the allegations difficult to believe.

Sarah Dolby wrote that Mr Benson-Pope was "a fabulous teacher who always displayed fairness and a sense of humour to all students.

"I am really angry to hear him being slandered in such a way and have never heard or witnessed any such occurrence as mentioned while at school or at camp."

Another woman, who did not want to be named, said she was "absolutely disgusted" with the allegations.

Postings in a Bayfield High chatroom on OldFriends.co.nz were also supportive.

"I was caned by BP and yes he was good at it but damn I deserved it," Mike Stanley wrote.

Mr Stanley questioned how a 14-year-old boy could get a tennis ball in his mouth.

"Seriously I can't get a tennis ball in my mouth, and I've got a big mouth."

The allegations against Mr Benson-Pope were first raised by Act leader Rodney Hide and National MP Judith Collins.

Mr Benson-Pope said in Parliament that he found them ridiculous.

At his Dunedin home last night, he refused to talk to the Herald and would only say he was "just as keen as anyone to get to the bottom of these allegations". He planned to do his talking "through the official inquiry" process.