School defends 'disparate' decisions

[freepatriot32]

Invercargill's James Hargest High School board of trustees yesterday stood by its decision to allow four boys to remain at school for indecent assault, while kicking out another student for smoking cannabis.

Chairman Murray Frost broke his three-day silence after the board reversed an earlier decision not to talk to media.

The high school has been publicly criticised this week, for the apparent disparity in punishments it meted out to students involved in two separate incidents.

The first, in May, involved an indecent assault on a 13-year-old third form girl during school time.

Her mother said the girl was tackled and pinned to the ground by two boys. Another boy held up her skirt while a fourth boy indecently assaulted her.

The boys stopped the assault only when other students intervened.

James Hargest stopped short of referring the boys to a disciplinary hearing before the board, opting instead to stand down the boys for four days.

The matter was 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 school time.

Mr Frost said the board considered Scott had set a "harmful example" by introducing other students to a drug they had not experienced before.

But the mother of the girl who was assaulted said her daughter's incident was more than harmful.

"It was a nasty, nasty experience" which her daughter had been physically forced to participate in.

While it was likely teenagers would be introduced to cannabis in other settings outside the school, it was unlikely girls would be subject to such a horrific first-time sexual experience, she said.

The school's playground policies had forced the mother to consider taking the girl out of James Hargest.

There were claims by some parents of drug use and dealing at James Hargest, including claims of students being "high" during class.

Mr Frost admitted the board and staff probably did not know as much about cannabis as many of the students and the school had not involved police in any drug-related incidents.

[freepatriot32]

so gang raping a 13 year old is ok and poses no danger to the safety of the students but voluntarily smoking marijuana is so dangerous they must kick the kid out of school forever ? ummmmmmm ok is bill clinton on the board of trustees at this "school"

you can contact the school through email at

office@jameshargest.school.nz

or you can call them directly at

64-3-217-6129 its a new zealand number so you ll have to dial 011 first and they are on a 14 hour time difference from us I think

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[camle]

wonder why the mother didn't go to the police chief, or the country prosecutor's office. the police reliled upon the school to handle it (which is wrong) and the school relied upon the police.

this is the problem with expecting a school to handle something like this. they go into "smooth it out" mode rather than proper discipline. boys should have been arrested and referred to juvenile authorities at the very minumum.

[xzins]

a 13-year-old third form girl

Is that "farm" girl?

Or is it a mannequin?

Or is it a "shapely" girl?

Wha the hey, is a FORM girl?

[Sloth]

British term, I think.

[nothingnew]

my questions also..wtf?

FMCDH

[nothingnew]

British term, I think.

Why can't the British speak english?!.........oh......yeah....

FMCDH

[Sloth]

You guys obviously don't read enough Harry Potter.

[Fee]

This is why families with daughters should produce several sons. Each son should be taught how to fight and defend their family's honor. The next time a girl gets assaulted, her brothers will know what to do.

[Bahbah]

"Mr Frost said the board considered Scott had set a "harmful example" by introducing other students to a drug they had not experienced before.

But not harmful to introduce a young girl to gang rape. Insane.

[nothingnew]

"Harry" who?

FMCDH

[freepatriot32]

ping

[freepatriot32]

I just found the website for this ""school"" that has links to the board of trustees/child rape advocate's and the principle

www.jameshargest.school.nz

[headsonpikes]

The distinction between these miscreants is simple.

The pot-head sets a bad example by defiantly smoking a proscribed plant, whereas the high-spirited rascals who teased the girl will be ideal future JBTs, and probably not dopers at all.

[Carolinamom]

From the "Pastoral" link on their website:

James Hargest High School is a student-focused school. The staff are enthusiastic and positive and work hard to develope strategies which provide students with a safe physical and emotional environment.

Our goal is zero tolerance for any behavior which makes students feel uncomfortable.

In a nutshell, the Board has undermined their staff and proven themselves to be liars.

[RonF]

"Form" refers to academic level in a British school. Kind of like what grade a kid is in. It's not a 1 to 1 (3rd form doesn't equal 3rd grade).

[xzins]

I watch the movies, that way I preserve the current illiterate status quo.

So, then, what is a "form" girl?

[Sloth]

'third form' is an educational level, equivalent to eighth grade, I think.

[MEGoody]

The perpetrators in both cases should have been turned over to the police.

[MEGoody]

"The perpetrators in both cases should have been turned over to the police."

Correction, they should have been turned over to some police with cojones.