High Court rules in favour of school after boy suspended

A High Court judge has cleared a Hamilton primary school of any wrong-doing after it sent home a nine-year-old boy for a week.

The boy was stood down for five days because of behavioural problems.

He was suspended for poking a teacher in the stomach with a pair of scissors and threatening to kick another pupil in the head.

The boy's father took Nawton Primary School's decision to court and it became the subject of a judicial review.

In a written decision, Justice Rhys Harrison ruled the principal acted in good faith and tried to balance the rights and interests of all involved.

New Zealand Principals' Federation president Judy Hanna said today the judge had commended the school, the principal and the teacher for their work with the child before he was suspended.

"They had gone to extraordinary lengths to make sure the child had every opportunity to learn and nothing had worked," she told Radio New Zealand.

- NZPA