Heated argument leads to boy's refusal to go to school camp and court action

A heated argument between two fathers has led to one taking legal action against a school. Photo / File

The family of a boy who refused to go to a school camp because a parent he was afraid of was also attending has tried to take legal action against the school.

The parent had accused the 9-year-old's father of abusing the boy, who had been seen crying.

The father had been telling his young son to eat his packed lunch. The other parent approached him and said he had seen him hit the boy, the father told Stuff.

The two men then had a heated argument, which resulted in the other adult laying a child abuse complaint to Oranga Tamariki, the Ministry for Children.

On hearing the adult who accused his father of hitting him was due to go on his school camp, the boy refused to go.

The boy's father told the Herald he had applied to the High Court for a court injunction against the West Auckland school after it refused to drop the other adult as a parent helper.

However, the court denied the application.

Now an online campaign has started in a bid to get support for the boy and his family.

With the help of his parents, the youngster has posted a short video on YouTube.

"All of my mates have gone off to school camp today, without me, because there's an adult on camp that I'm afraid of,'' he says on the clip.

"[Principal], you didn't want to hear me, but perhaps you will hear me now - I was really looking forward to going to camp today. But because you have ignored my feelings, I have refused to go.

"I am missing out on an important part of my education.''

In a statement, the chairman of the school's Board of Trustees told the Herald the school decided to back the principal's decision to allow the adult to attend the camp after consultation with police and the school's lawyers.

"We are satisfied from our inquiries to date that there are no issues that make attendance at camp by this parent an issue,'' he said.