Race not motive in stabbing - college

Parents of Avondale College students have been told that racism was not the motive behind last week's stabbing of a teacher.

At a meeting on Monday night, Detective Sergeant Peter Steward told 60 mainly Asian, Pacific Island and Maori parents that police had interviewed all the students present during the attack, and assured them it was not racially motivated.

Tae Won Chung, a 17-year-old high school student from South Korea, is accused of stabbing Dave Warren at the school last Tuesday.

In a written statement, Tae's father said the incident had "broke his heart" and that his son had been feeling isolated in New Zealand and distressed because of the language barrier.

He did not attend the meeting, but had his statement read by Korean Society representative Audrey Chung.

Society spokesman Kenny Jeong said the elder Mr Tae had been "deeply affected" by media reports on his son and the stabbing, and was planning to hold his own press conference later this week "to express his own viewpoints".

Other speakers at the meeting included members of Parliament Melissa Lee and David Cunliffe and college principal Brent Lewis.

Former Prime Minister Helen Clark also attended, but did not speak.

In a memo to parents, Mr Lewis wrote: "Unfortunately, there has been much misreporting by the media and inaccurate and inflammatory statements have been made about the college ... the college and its community are concerned and distressed at these unfounded allegations in the media that the college tolerates racism."

He added: "The staff member concerned has taught at the college for over 20 years. We are surprised and concerned that he is being tried through the media."

He said students had been told not to speak to the media because the school's policy required that only the principal or board of trustees chair deal with the media in such situations.

Mr Lewis said he had visited the hospitalised teacher, and Mr Warren told him that he held no malice towards his attacker and saw it as a "one in a million" incident.

"Mr Warren also said he was very concerned that the boy was in jail, and he was very concerned for his welfare," he said.

Mr Lewis said the meeting had also been organised to assure the community that the stabbing was an isolated incident and not a regular feature of life at Avondale College.

He said the school had sent invitations to the parents of all 2690 students.