Ex-teaching colleague says apology claim wrong

David Benson-Pope hangs out on a jungle gym with children from Carlton Hill School. Picture / Otago Daily Times

Another former colleague of David Benson-Pope has come forward saying the Cabinet minister's version of events does not square with what she recalls.

Former Bayfield High School art teacher Pamela White, who claimed she had been bullied by Mr Benson-Pope, says she never apologised to him as he has said.

"It's not true. I had nothing to apologise to him for," she told the Otago Daily Times.

Ms White is the second teacher in two days who has provided information that contradicts Mr Benson-Pope's version of what happened.

On Thursday, Jillian Armstrong-Sagvari, the teacher Mr Benson-Pope had cited as supporting his belief that he did not slap a student on the thigh, said she could not give assurances it had not happened because she was not in a position to see.

Ms White said she walked out of the school and threatened to go to the Human Rights Commission because Mr Benson-Pope had made her life hell for about two years.

The situation was resolved by mediation, which Ms White believed was initiated by the board of trustees.

However, on Thursday Mr Benson-Pope told the Otago Daily Times Ms White had apologised for "her behaviour around the issue" after he had initiated mediation.

The latest revelation comes as National MP Judith Collins and Act leader Rodney Hide indicate they are aware of new allegations about Mr Benson-Pope. "He enrages students when he denies what has happened," Mr Hide said, "and that is what is encouraging them to come forward."

However, others believe Mr Benson-Pope is over the worst after finally fronting up to media to answer questions and should be allowed to move on.

Yesterday, the Post Primary Teachers Association president Debbie Te Whaiti called on MPs to end their "witch-hunt" over the allegations, saying every teacher in the country was also likely to be affected by the "feeding frenzy and abuse" seen in Parliament.

A spokesman for Prime Minister Helen Clark said most people in New Zealand were "heartily sick" of the matter. Mr Benson-Pope has received support this week from the unlikely quarter of New Zealand First leader Winston Peters.

On numerous occasions in Parliament, Mr Peters leaped in to raise points of order designed to curtail the Opposition's intense questioning of Mr Benson-Pope. Mr Peters told the Weekend Herald that the New Zealand First caucus had examined the issue and decided not to join the "mob" attacking Mr Benson-Pope.

"I'm not doing it for any other reason than a sense of justice and fair play. I know that he is not popular, I have never had any dialogue with him at all. I just sense that this guy was a good teacher."

During a television interview on Thursday night Mr Benson-Pope said the twitch, or nervous tic, which affects his facial muscles had been brought on by the allegations he has faced over the past year.

However, both Mr Hide and Ms Collins dispute this, saying when he entered Parliament the twitch was evident.

They have both, independently, spoken to former Bayfield pupils who say Mr Benson-Pope had the twitch while he was a teacher.