Protesters frighten school into closedown

By CATHY ARONSON

A Hamilton school has closed because parents angry at how its bilingual unit is run are repeatedly abusing and intimidating teachers.

Insoll Avenue School has shut for at least three days after protesting parents abused staff and followed them to their cars. In one instance, a protester was issued with a trespass notice after he entered the main office and waved his fists at staff.

The parents, representing 15 children out of the school's 390 pupils, believe its bilingual unit is dysfunctional and does not monitor their children's progress.

They have protested in the past three weeks, waving placards outside the school during and after class hours, leaving pupils frightened, other parents angry and forcing teachers to walk to their cars in pairs.

The school has four bilingual classrooms and 65 per cent of its students are Maori.

In what is believed to be a first in a New Zealand school, the board of trustees chairwoman, Helen Te Kiri, sent a letter to parents yesterday saying the school would close because it could not guarantee a safe workplace.

"Staff don't need to be subjected to this, and children don't need to see this sort of thing in a school setting."

Staff, who did not want to be named for fear of reprisal, told the Herald they feared for their safety.

"They stand across the road yelling abuse at us and don't leave until we go home," said one teacher.

"I waited till 5 o'clock the other night just so I could go to my car, but they were still there."

Protest spokesman Gary Hohua said the school had not listened to the parents' complaints. As an example, his 8-year-old daughter was still in level 1 and the family had been told only this year that she was not advancing at a normal rate.

In Parliament, Act leader Richard Prebble expressed concern at the closure.

Education Minister Trevor Mallard replied that he thought the school should remain open.

"But an overriding factor is that the children are not to be placed at risk by people who are apparently violent and sometimes abusive."

Principal Ian Leckie would not comment and referred all inquiries to School Trustees Association adviser Peter Murphy.

Mr Murphy said 10 formal complaints had been followed up by the school, the Ministry of Education and independent advisers and all complaints had been cleared.

The association advised the school to close until it could sort out the problem.

"Nobody wanted to do this but it has escalated out of control."

When the closure was announced yesterday many parents confronted the protesters in anger.

Mother of three Jackie Witehira said the protesters had intimidated her and her children.

"They say, 'What are they doing, mummy, why don't they like our school?' I had put up with them, but now they have forced my kids to lose three days of education."

Her 8-year-old son, Michael Witehira, said he loved his school and did not want the days off.

"I hate walking past them. I just want them to go away."

Ministry regional manager John Tait said the school and the ministry had tried to resolve the complaints.

"The level of aggression has been raised and has put this into a whole new category.

"Unfortunately, I don't think there is one magic bullet to solve it."

Mr Tait said the ministry and school had asked the group to meet on Monday for a hui. He said the latest Education Review Office report, in 1999, had been positive.