A parent, who wished to remain anonymous, said her daughter came home from school early yesterday after she encountered new rules governing toilet use.
She said she kept her daughter at home today because of the rules and was outraged that the school was blocking her daughter’s right to freely use the bathroom.
According to the 2023 Education Review Office, there are 236 pupils at the central North Island co-educational high school.
The first email sent to parents from principal Marama Allen said, if female students wished to use the bathroom from now on, they would need to ask a teacher to accompany them.
The teacher would then unlock the bathroom and perform a “quick check” of the facility afterwards.
Allen said this was to ensure “appropriate cleanliness”.
“Due to ongoing and serious misuse of the facilities – including the improper disposal of used sanitary products and intentional blockage of drains with tampons – we have made the decision to lock the girls’ toilets for the foreseeable future."
She said the decision was not made lightly, but action was urgently needed.
“We would like to stress that while we have dedicated cleaners, they should not be expected to manage the type of mess that has been left behind.
“It is essential that students take personal responsibility for hygiene, respect for school property, and consideration for others who share the same space.”
Only 24 hours later, after the school was contacted by the Herald, a second letter from Allen was sent to the school community retracting the policy and apologising for the tone of the first letter.
“It did not reflect the values of care, respect, and manaakitanga that we uphold within our school community,” it said.
“I want to reassure you that girls do have full access to toilet facilities.”
It said the school was actively working alongside students to come up with a different solution.
“This includes student-led discussions to hear their voices and ideas around shared responsibility for communal spaces and additional maintenance support where needed.”
In the letter, Allen acknowledged the distress and frustration the policy caused and sincerely apologised.
The parent said she was glad the school listened to the concerns and was grateful for the apology.
In a statement released to the Herald, Allen said they had spoken with students this afternoon “so there is open and respectful dialogue about how we care for our shared spaces and each other”.
“These conversations are part of our ongoing commitment to listening, learning, and working together as a school community.
“We are proud of our students and value their voices. Their perspectives are essential in shaping a safe, inclusive environment where everyone feels respected and supported.”
Allen said they were grateful to the parent community for “engaging with us constructively”.
“Our focus remains on building a culture of shared responsibility and positive engagement — one that reflects the strengths of our kura and the people within it.
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Education said Ministry has not received any complaints regarding this matter.
