Parents object to 'prison fence' for children

Parents of pupils at a Mid-Canterbury school are concerned it will resemble a prison if a 2m-high fence is built around its perimeter.

The Ministry of Education has told Netherby School, in Ashburton, to build the fence to make the school secure to accept two special needs students.

Board chairwoman Deanna Watson says she is pleased parents of the two students have chosen for them to attend Netherby, and as part of the conditions the school has to accept the ministry's request.

But one parent of a present student says it seems atrocious that the whole school "should suffer" and be made to seem like a prison because of two children.