HARGEST DECISIONS DEFENDED

The community did not know the full story behind an apparent disparity in
punishments meted out to students involved in two separate incidents, James
Hargest High School principal Paul O'Connor said yesterday.

The Invercargill high school was criticised this month for its handling of
the two incidents involving students.

In May a 13-year-old third-form girl was indecently assaulted during
schooltime by four male students.

The students were stood down for four days and the matter referred to
police who warned the boys and made them write letters of apology to the girl.

A month later, Scott Irvine, 14, was suspended then expelled after he
admitted smoking cannabis while he stood with a group of other students. At
the time, he was out of school uniform, away from the grounds and out of
schooltime.

However, Mr O'Connor, who returned to Invercargill on Saturday after three
weeks overseas, said the school was on a "hiding to nothing" because fear
of breaching student privacy meant he could not tell the community the full
story.

"The sadness for this school in the light of what has occurred over the
last two weeks is that we are not at liberty to disclose specifics to do
with the way that we have supported and-or disciplined students in our
school publicly.

"The contract that I have, and my board has, with every parent in this
school is that I must respect their children's privacy.

"This issue is in the public arena ... I ask you and your readers to draw
their own conclusions." He was "absolutely convinced" parents would be in
support of the school's stance if they knew all the facts.

It would be inappropriate for him to comment on the board's decision to
suspend Scott but he had "every confidence" in the way the board operated,
Mr O'Connor said.

However, the decision to only stand-down the four students involved in the
indecent assault was his and he stood by it, he said.

Mr O'Connor did not answer when asked why suspension was not considered for
Scott.

James Hargest is one of three city secondary schools involved in Resus, a
suspension intervention programme set up last year, designed to keep
troubled students in the school system.

The programme received a $315,000 funding boost last month to allow it to
continue for three years.

Board of trustees chairman Murray Frost said yesterday Resus was for
students who were remorseful and wanted to learn.

Previous behaviour was also taken into account.

"We've never seen any evidence that Scott's sorry for what he's done. You
may have."

James Hargest was no longer helping Scott find a new school, Mr O'Connor
said. It was now the Ministry of Education's responsibility.

"We have made every effort that we are required to do to find him a place
in another school. It's no longer our responsibility."

There was a lot of support in the community for the school and he had
received a "large number" of phone calls in support since he arrived back
in the country, Mr O'Connor said.

He had received no negative calls, he said.