School to hold back disruptive students

By CATHY ARONSON

HAMILTON - A Waikato high school has held back 30 junior students for poor behaviour and attendance, against curriculum guidelines that students should be held back only for academic reasons.

The principal of Hamilton's Fraser High School, Martin Elliott, sent letters yesterday to parents of 15 year 9 and 15 year 10 students who would not move on to the next year.

Mr Elliott said the 13- and 14-year-old students had poor attendance and behaviour, disrupted class, did not complete classwork and homework, and arrived at school without the proper equipment.

The students were not being held back for academic reasons, although if their behaviour did not improve they would suffer academically later, he said.

"It has nothing to do with academic brilliance.

"It is about facing up to your responsibilities and working to the best of your ability in a way that does not deprive others who want to learn.

"It is better to sort these problems out now then let them spiral out of control and fail at the senior level."

But while Mr Elliott is adamant the students have been held back for behaviour, he said most had also failed an internal school exam.

Ministry of Education liaison officer Graeme Kitto said that while the ministry had no guidelines on holding back junior students, national curriculum guidelines stated that students had the right to work at the curriculum level where they could achieve.

"Kids mature socially and academically at different times and what could be a behaviour problem in a 13-year-old could be resolved by the time they are 15.

"I'm not saying I condone bad behaviour but that is a separate issue, which should be dealt with through the appropriate discipline measures."

Mr Elliott said the students were the worst in the school. Most had been suspended and would otherwise be excluded.

"We are a community school and we take responsibility for our students instead of sending them out of the system and on to the street."

Last year the school held back one year 9 and two year 10 students for the same reason, but after good behaviour in the first term the students were reinstated to their correct years and have improved.

Two months ago, 67 students were threatened with being held back next year if they did not attend class every day with the proper equipment, complete all classwork and homework, and behave and dress correctly.

Mr Elliott said the students who were held back were assessed by independent reports from each teacher, to avoid students being blacklisted.

He said he had not had a negative response from parents yet but some students had said they would change schools if they were held back.

The latest Education Review Office report on the decile-four school, dated May, said that Mr Elliot's "energetic and forward thinking" leadership was working at Fraser High and students, staff, parents and the community had confidence in the school.