KEY POINTS:
Parents who tried to overhaul Selwyn College have been ousted from the board - but the new trustees face close scrutiny from education authorities.
In a bitter trustee election campaign, half the candidates backed the Auckland school's liberal approach and diverse roll.
The other half campaigned on a
ticket of increased academic rigour and a stronger appeal for students in the natural catchment area.
Five parent representatives from the first camp have swept to power, ending divisions that had split the previous board when squabbling between opposing camps stalled any progress.
The other members of the 10-member board are made up of staff appointments including the principal, Carol White, and co-opted members.
But Education Minister Steve Maharey warned that the new board was still obliged to make changes.
He has previously threatened to bring the school under direct Government control unless it attracts more students from its catchment area.
"I will await advice and evidence from the board on how it is addressing the concerns expressed ... which requires the board to ensure the school meets the needs of the local community," he told the Herald.
Selwyn College has seen a sharp decline in the number of students at Year 9. Just 10 per cent of local students attend. Most come from out of the area to enjoy high quality specialist subjects such as performing arts.
But parts of the community have been trying to effect change.
That led to the deterioration of board relations and the Ministry of Education sent in a specialist adviser to try to heal the rift.
The lead up to the elections saw furious campaigning from both camps. The winning side formed a team called Positively Selwyn and sent out newsletters to boost its profile. The other side set up a website, Vision Selwyn, and paid for newspaper advertising in a bid to win parents' ticks.
Brent Williams, who failed to win re-election, said the new board promised "the perpetuation of the status quo with its poor standards of accountability and management, and disregard of community feedback.
"The concerning issue for local families is that there seems to be no representation for change." He said Mr Maharey should appoint a commissioner to run the school to prevent a deteriorating relationship with the community "but more importantly as a service to the students".
The result did not come as a surprise because only parents who have children at the school get a vote in the elections and most parents in the immediate area sent their children to other schools, Mr Williams said.
But Margaret Belich, spokeswoman for Positively Selwyn, said the new trustees would work hard to ensure dissatisfied members of the community had a right to go to Selwyn and get a good education there.
The board holds its first meeting this week.
New Brooms
Parents from the Positively Selwyn team elected on the Selwyn board of trustees
* Petronella Townsend, wife of former Progressive MP Matt Robson
* Tur Borren, a gold medallist at the 1976 Olympic Games and now an investment banker
* Margaret Belich
* Matthew Blackmore
* George Burrell
