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Schools Kick Naughty Students Out

Posted on: Tuesday, 11 October 2005, 15:00 CDT

By HOBY, Katherine

Twenty-eight students have been asked to leave schools in the Nelson region so far this year.

In figures released to the Nelson Mail under the Official Information Act local students have been excluded for behaviour including assaults on staff, sexual harassment, drug offences and continual disobedience.

Exclusion means the formal removal of a student aged under 16, while expulsion is the removal of a student 16 or over.

Data released for schools involving fewer than five students is recorded as less than five, to safeguard the privacy of individual students.

It is "live data'' and subject to change until the end of the year.

Students stood down, are removed from school for a short period then allowed to return.

Suspended students are removed from school and have to go in front of the board of trustees, which decides whether to allow the student back.

there were a total of 27 students excluded, with most being asked to leave for continual disobedience.

No school or college listed had more than five students excluded.

Other offences included drugs, sexual harassment and physical and verbal assaults. Motueka High School principal Rex Smith said schools had different policies on how to deal with bad behaviour.

"We have a set of procedures and standards,'' he said.

"But different schools tackle things differently. If someone verbally abuses a staff member we will stand them down. I know some schools who don't.''

Mr Smith said some behaviour seemed to move in cycles.

"Sometimes there's a need to underline the school's bottom line. If you do something you need to know the consequences,'' he said.

"It's about consistency and fairness because these things will happen. We are dealing with teenagers here.''

Schools in the region to formally remove students were: Auckland Point School, Broadgreen Intermediate, Motueka High School, Nayland College, Nelson College, Nelson College for Girls, Nelson Intermediate and Waimea College.

Waimea College had 15 students suspended, with nine of those for continual disobedience. Others had to front up to the board of trustees for alcohol and drug offences.

Nayland College suspended 12 students for behaviour ranging from sexual harassment to drugs and physical assault on staff or fellow students.

At least one Nelson College student was suspended for arson.

Waimea College and Motueka High School were top equal for stand downs with 50 each while Nelson College for Girls and Nayland College both had 46.

While most were for minor offences such as continual disobedience, Motueka High School stood six students down for drug offences, six for physical assault on other students, and 17 for verbal assault on staff.

Nelson College for Girls stood pupils down for behaviour including theft, and physical assaults, while Waimea College's concerns included weapons and alcohol.

Source: Nelson Mail, The

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