Gloriavale leavers lawyer, Brian Henry reveals details about the schools closure.
Closing Gloriavale‘s school could be the start of the secluded religious commune unravelling, advocates say.
After months of speculation about Gloriavale Christian School’s future, education bosses announced the under-fire private school would have its registration cancelled from January 23.
The school’s board hit out after the announcement yesterday,calling it “unjust” and warned it would challenge the decision.
Lawyer for Gloriavale leavers Brian Henry told Herald NOW’s Michael Morrah once they started losing control of the children, the community would “fall to bits”.
“It’s a bit like sandpaper. The more we keep succeeding, the more we keep litigating, the more we keep rubbing them, the more officials are starting to suddenly sit up and say, ‘Oh, I might have a problem here’.”
“Isolation is the absolute key to Gloriavale, and isolating and being able to control the input of information, which is keeping them separate, keeping them what they call unworldly, is essential.”
He said just sending teachers into the community would not be enough.
“If they are mixing in schools with other children, that unworldliness will break down, and it’s the impact, I believe, of other children who are brought up in normal families that will absolutely send the kids home saying, ‘Why are we living in this slave-like camp?’ And that’s how it’ll break down because the kids will reject it.”
When asked if it was too late for the Government to act, Henry said he was just pleased something had been done.
Gloriavale Christian Community located at Haupiri on the West Coast of the South Island. Haupiri, West Coast of the South Island. Photo / Corey Flemming
Founder of the Gloriavale leavers’ trust Liz Gregory told Newstalk ZB’s Heather du Plessis-Allan that they anticipate Gloriavale being deregistered as a charity before Christmas.
“And that was signalled to Gloriavale in July, and they objected to it and have had hearings.
“And so I expect that’s the next step.”
Gregory said the Government must tread carefully and work with survivors for their input to be able to help the children in a trauma-informed way.
She said the best option for the children would be to have a hub of classes set up at nearby schools to slowly integrate them.
“The reasons for the decision include insufficient evidence provided by the school to assure it is consistently meeting all the criteria for registration of a private school, and no evidence to suggest that providing further time will ensure the school will become compliant,” MacGregor-Reid said.
“In July, the Education Review Office highlighted ongoing concerns about the physical and emotional safety of students. The secretary considers the evidence provided by the school since is insufficient to provide assurance that these concerns have been addressed.”
About 220 children are schooled inside Gloriavale, located on the West Coast.
Just under 100 go to the private school, which teaches children up to the age of 15, in a ministry-approved homeschooling programme.
