New Zealand Scores Second Worse in World for Bullying in Schools

Source Stuff.co.nz
December 2008

NZ Schools Lead World in bullying

"Three-quarters of primary school children have been bullied in the past month, ranking New Zealand 34th of 35 countries in a major international study.

More evidence of an endemic bullying culture comes as teachers call for law changes to single out the most troublesome students and as the Ministry of Education plans a Behaviour Summit for early next year.

The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) showed only Tunisia had fewer Year 5 students reporting no instances of bullying over the past month.

Pupils were asked how often the following happened in their school in the past month:

Something of mine was stolen.

I was hit or hurt by other student(s) (for example, shoving, hitting, kicking).

I was made to do things I didn't want to do by other students.

I was made fun of or called names.

I was left out of activities by other students.

In New Zealand, 33 per cent of children answered yes to three or more of the questions -- far worse than the international average 18%.

A further 42% of pupils said they had suffered one or two of the bullying incidents in the past month.

Only Tunisia rated worse for bullying -- there, 23% of students reported no bullying.

Auckland paediatrician and former Children's Commissioner Ian Hassall said the high rates of bullying reflected a "punitive culture".

"It's not just children who are bullied; adults bully as well," Hassall said. "We do have a punitive society that rather believes in punishing people and threatening them, so it's not surprising that children pick up on this and go punishing one another."

Inquiries into school bullying by the Children's Commissioner and the Human Rights Commission are under way.

Briefing papers to the new Education Minister, Anne Tolley, reveal plans for a Behaviour Summit to be held in March next year.

The papers state that the Ministry of Education is already dealing with 4500 children aged five to 14 who have "the most severe behavioural needs".

"In March 2009, the ministry is planning to bring together the education sector and other stakeholders in a Behaviour Summit to consider the evidence on effective behaviour management and commit to a plan of action," the papers state.

A spokeswoman for Tolley said the conference plan was at a "very embryonic stage".

Only last week a 10 year old boy tried to jump from a school roof after suffering abuse at Ascot
Community school following burns he sustained in a fire 2 years previously.

In March 2008 Toran Henry, 17 died after a fight at Takapuna grammar school where he mother said he was bullied by both students and staff

New Zealand's Culture of Brutality

Peter Duune has said

"anti-bullying, and "character education" programmes were needed in primary and intermediate schools.

"The culture of brutality that we have tolerated for too long has to stop,"

Racial Sensitivity May Have Caused Classroom Stabbing

Despite allegations that are students were told not to speak to the media on threat of expulsion further details are leaking out about the shocking classroom stabbing yesterday of teacher David Warren at Avondale College. A 17 year old student at the college Tae Won Chung appeared in court today and was denied bail.

This from the NZ Herald
by Beck Vass

"Joke about South Korea"

"...Students told the Herald Mr Warren's attacker was a Korean national who principal Brent Lewis said had been at the school "three or four weeks". [note: the student was at the school for the whole of 2008, see below]

One student, who did not want to be named under threat of expulsion, said an incident had taken place at the school on Monday.

"Yesterday, some kids in that class said [the teacher] must've said a joke about South Korea - and that guy's from South Korea."

The 20-student class were studying NCEA level two and three Japanese.

Mr Warren was stabbed just below his right shoulder while writing on a whiteboard, standing with his back to the class.

A student who had been waiting to see the nurse said a teacher and another pupil had burst in, shouting that a teacher had been stabbed.

"We were in the nurse's room and one of the students in the class and a teacher came in shouting for the nurse to come, someone's been stabbed - they said he was on the floor.

"The nurse left and the bells went off."

Police and ambulance services arrived shortly after, and Mr Warren was taken to Auckland Hospital in a serious condition.

Mr Lewis said he knew nothing of claims that a racial remark had triggered the attack."

Incident the previous day

"However, one teacher said staff were told that "an incident" had occurred between Mr Warren and his alleged attacker in class on Monday.

Students gave different assessments of Mr Warren's teaching style.

One told TV3's Campbell Live Mr Warren, 49, was "all right".

"He would pick on [me] - because I'm Japanese myself - he picked on Japanese people because he expected us to know Japanese.""

Teacher's "usual comments" offended students

"Another told the Herald some of Mr Warren's "usual" comments had the potential to offend.

"If we're running in the hall, he'll say: 'You, the big Islander one over there, get over here'."

Parents arrived early to collect students who witnessed the attack. Many of the teens had their faces covered with jerseys.

Mr Warren was still in Auckland hospital when the Herald visited his Waterview home last night.

His flatmate, who asked not to be named, said Mr Warren was a "very kind man" who is very fit and often rode his bicycle to school."

Student's parents are on the way to NZ

The Herald reported at 12.35pm today that the parents of the student arrested for the stabbing are on their way to New Zealand from Korea. It also stated that the student was neither new to the school nor New Zealand.

by Vaimoana Tapaleao, Beck Vass and Edward Gay

"At the court this morning, Korean consulate staff member Jun Lee said the schoolboy's family were on their way to New Zealand from South Korea.

Mr Lee said he was in court this morning to provide support for the homestay family,

One member of the family told nzherald.co.nz that the accused schoolboy had been in New Zealand for two years and at Avondale College all of 2008.

She said he was also in Mr Warren's class last year. Avondale College yesterday said the student had been at the school just three or four weeks.

Court has been adjourned and the accused has yet to appear."

Additional information:

• Identity politics behind school stabbing?: Link
• Online (Soompi) community comments on racism in NZ schools: Link
• Reader comments Korea Post.co.nz (Korean) : Link
  
• Racist remarks drove student to react: Link
  
• Chosun.com coverage (Korean): Link
  
• Bullying in NZ's Schools: Link
• More On Violence in New Zealand Schools: Link
• Racist reporting of the event in the media: Link
• Teachers at school gates telling students not to talk to the media:Link
• Levels of risk for NZ teachers gets higher every day: Link
• Suburb going down the tubes: Link
• 37,500 schoolchildren have severe forms of destructive & challenging behaviour. Link

Teacher Stabbed in Auckland Classroom

In an incident that has echoes of similar attacks in countries such as the UK a male high school teacher has been stabbed in his classroom at a New Zealand high school.

The stabbing occurred at Avondale College, Auckland.

Source NZ Herald

David Warren, a Caucasian 50 year old teacher taking a Japanese class, was stabbed in the back by a student whilst writing on a classroom whiteboard.

Initial reports were that he was in a serious condition but later news is that is he is expected to leave hospital soon.

Police have arrested a 17 year old Korean student in connection with the attack.

College was in Lock Down; Students told not to speak to media

The Herald stated that

"...One reader emailed nzherald.co.nz to say that her daughter was a student at the school and had been locked in the college's squash courts while police searched for the teacher's attacker.

Avondale College principal Brent Lewis told nzherald.co.nz students had been asked not to speak to the media but said reports they would be expelled if they did so were untrue.

He said school would continue as normal tomorrow..."

Earlier in the day this appeared on Stuff.co.nz

"The teacher - 'Mr Warren', according to information given to students - was taken to Auckland Hospital in a serious condition with wounds to the top of his back. The incident happened at 11.42am.

"A student stabbed a teacher in the back while he was writing on the whiteboard," a police spokesman said. The student then "just walked off".

A police statement said a 17-year-old international student was found at a Blockhouse Bay property about an hour after the stabbing and was being spoken to by police. An associate of the Korean teenager - who had only been at Avondale College for a couple of weeks - was also at the home and assisting police.

About 20 students were in the class at the time of the stabbing - the third period of the school day - and are receiving counselling.

One shocked student being propped up by her father was led from the school gates about an hour after the stabbing. Too upset to speak to media, she only nodded when asked if she'd seen the teacher be stabbed.

The classroom where the stabbing happened has been cordoned off.

College principal Brent Lewis said the school was now in "lockdown". While the incident was very upsetting, he now had to concentrate on dealing with students and staff."

Residents fed up with Avondale College students brawling

31 October 2008

Source Stuff.co.nz

"A Highbury St resident told the Avondale Community Board on Tuesday that fights between up to 40 Avondale College students have taken place.

On two occasions last term police were called in to break up or prevent fights in the cul-de-sac street, which students use as a thoroughfare to the school.

The resident, who didn’t want to be named, said students also smoke outside homes, damage private property, and verbally abuse neighbours.

"These serious fights are scary for residents," she said."

2006 Stabbings

In October 2006 Manaola Kaumeafaiva (14) died and a 16 year old youth was stabbed in the arm in what police called a "random act of fatal violence" outside the college following a church run hip-hop competition held in the auditorium. 16 year old Petani Fa’avae was later sentenced to a life sentence for the murder.

At the time of the murder a TVNZ report said:

"Although the stabbings don't appear to be gang related, many in West Auckland are concerned about rising violence among groups of youth.

Police say the two victims do not have gang connections, didn't know their attacker and it is not thought that they even knew each other.

The two boys were students of Avondale College."

Wikipedia entry for Avondale College:

"currently one of the largest secondary schools in New Zealand with 2,654 students, with 108 of those being international students[1]. There is a large cultural diversity within the school, with an ethnic composition of New Zealand European/ Pākehā 28%, Māori 9%, Samoan 15%, Chinese 12%, Indian 9%, other Asian 7%, other European 5%, Tongan 4%, Niuean 3%, other Pacific 2%, Other 6%. Around 50 different countries are represented in the student body and each of these is represented by a flag in the gymnasium.

The principal of Avondale College and head of the 179 teachers is Brent Lewis. Many staff members of Avondale College come from Britain...

Avondale has a sister school in Japan called Daito Bunka, which is a preparatory school for Daito Bunka University, Tokyo."

Cops Called To NZ Schools 40 Times A Week

Source: NZ Herald
Jacqueline Smith

"Police are being called to schools about 40 times every week of the academic year to deal with behaviour teachers say they cannot handle.

Figures issued under the Official Information Act show officers were called out an average of 1531 times each year from 1998 to deal with violence, drugs or sex offences.

Last year, they were called 1658 times.

The number of calls over violent offences jumped 27 per cent in the past decade - from 869 to 1064.

Total school enrolments rose only 4 per cent from 2001 to 2009 and lobbyists say the rise in offences is alarming."

Gang fight at a Wellington School

More evidence that gang activities and violent behaviour in New Zealand's schools are getting out of control:

Source NZ Herald

"A 23-year-old man has pleaded guilty to a charge of unlawful assembly, following a brawl in the grounds of Hutt Valley High School yesterday.

Police said a series of fights broke out shortly before 3pm after a group of three adults and six youths arrived at the school and confronted a student about a previous fight.

The school field erupted into a brawl when about 30 students went to aid their schoolmate.

About a dozen police were needed to quell the fighting and arrest the nine members of the group, who the school's principal said were wearing gang colours.

All nine were charged with unlawful assembly."

Comments:

The incident was also reported by the Dominion Post who omitted to mention that the invasion had been carried out by patched gang members, merely calling them "a group".

One of the 2,000 students at the school has published a video of the incident, believed to have been started by gang called the "Wax Assassins", on YouTube

"Hutt Valley High School BLOODS Vs HVHS"

( link youtube.com/watch?v=ni-0niLt_74 )

The "Wax Assassins" are a youth gang from Wainuiomata with links to the Mongrel Mob

Human Rights Abuses at the school

An article on the Asia Pacific Forum.net website recently highlighted human rights abuses and bullying at the school, whereby boys were dragged onto the school field and violated by their classmates.

Concerned parents reported the incident to the Human Rights Commissioner and calls were made for a national enquiry into pupil safety and school violence:

"The Human Rights Commission is to investigate schools' anti-bullying policies to see whether children's rights to safety are being protected.

The move follows calls for a national inquiry by parents of bullying victims at Hutt Valley High School. The investigation is linked to a study by the children's commissioner into pupil safety and school violence.

Chief Human Rights Commissioner Rosslyn Noonan agreed to analyse children's human rights concerns after meeting Hutt Valley parents. Her report will focus on "the right to safety and security of the person, the right to education and the rights of victims".

It will consider how human rights are addressed by schools' anti-bullying policies and make recommendations in situations in which policies are not protecting children.

The Government unveiled anti-bullying initiatives this year after a spate of school violence.

Documents issued under the Official Information Act show Education Minister Chris Carter called for urgent action amid fears that schools were not treating bullying as a priority.

Last December nine Hutt Valley High School boys were dragged to the ground and violated by a pack of six classmates.

The victims' parents wrote to the Human Rights Commission alleging a "systematic failure" by state agencies responsible for protecting children. They asked for a national inquiry into violence and human rights abuses in schools.

The commission has agreed to assist Children's Commissioner Cindy Kiro's school safety investigation, which is due to be issued in February.

The Hutt Valley parents' spokesman welcomed the investigations, saying playground violence was "a much broader issue than one school ... We're talking about child abuse".

Medical Students Have To Be Taught How to Stay and Work in New Zealand

"There are shortages of doctors, especially in primary care, and more medical graduates should help," said Professor Abbott. "However, they will need to receive a different sort of education that fosters the values, competencies and commitment to equip them to stay in New Zealand and make a positive difference at community level."

This statement was made by Professor Max Abbott, AUT University Dean of Health and Environmental Sciences and Deputy Chair of the country's largest district health board. He was commenting on a proposal to increase the number of medical students in New Zealand and on the workforce crisis in the health sector.

Healthcare areas with the worst shortages of staff are midwifery and dental services, both areas are need of urgent funding. There are shortages of doctors too, particularly in primary care. However, Auckland University of Technology is having to reduce some courses due to cut backs in funding, which come at a time when there are significant shortages of professional staff in some areas.

In May a report appeared on the Unison web site quoting Dr. Annette Huntington from Massey University's School of Health saying that New Zealand had reached “crisis levels” in the shortage of nursing staff, with many new graduates from NZ nursing programmes lured away by the promise of better pay in hospitals overseas.

45,000 registered nurses make up approximately 60 per cent of New Zealand’s health workforce.

Professor Abbot's solution is:

"We need to be much more flexible in our thinking about who does what in the health sector, especially in primary care. We need many more nurse practitioners and other health professionals who extend their expertise and scopes of practice. All health professionals need to learn to work more effectively in multidisciplinary teams and be more responsive to patients and communities."

Reasons for the shortages

Maurice Drake, head of Nursing at Unitec, says:

"There are a number of possible reasons for these shortages, including low pay, stressful working conditions and increasing media scrutiny of healthcare professionals"

Drake also notes the difficulty trained nurses who have been out of the workforce have in returning to nursing, especially those with children. “There needs to be more flexible ways of working....training more nurses is not the answer, due to a lack of clinical placements for students."

More
Boosting medical student numbers not the solution
NZ a global player in Nursing shortage
Crisis in Waitakere's after hours healthcare
In Unison: Nursing Shortage a Crisis

New Zealand Education System

NZ state schools are chronically underfunded with parents expected to make voluntary donations to prop-up the system, often $100s of dollars a year, plus subject fees, course materials, uniforms etc.

Schools are graded according to a decile rating system, the highest rated schools (decile 10) require a larger "voluntary" contribution from families than the lower ranking schools and receive less government money.

Increasing pressure is put on both parents and children who fail to make these contributions. As the recession deepens in New Zealand and the family budgets become tighter schools are bound to be the first to lose out on this extra funding, education is going to be one of the first casualties of New Zealand's economic downturn.

As if this wasn't bad enough head teachers are also finding it hard, if not impossible, to recruit good quality teachers - even from overseas.

David Hodge, the head of NZ's largest school Rangitoto College went to the extraordinary length of travelling to Britain in an effort to recruit teachers from Scotland and England, but then he does this every year. On the salary and "bonuses" he earns one would hope that these "trips" are at his own expense and not funded by parent donations.

Teachers are angry at the pay and perks David Hodge attracts. A row erupted when the education minister Chris Carter accused him of taking an extra $18,000 from the school's operations grant on top of a $185,000 salary.

Mr Hodge's board of trustees-approved payment for "additional duties" included overseas trips to scout for foreign students, who bring in $2.5 million to the school each year. How many other school principals go to such extraordinary lengths?

Hang on a mo, but I thought he was going to Britain to scout for teachers too. Does this mean he's also jetting off to Asia to attract students?

Busy guy!

Other benefits include

• A $10,600 rebate on the rental of the principal's residence
• $10,500 for acting as a support officer for international fee paying students
• A car reimbursement of $1000 a month, paid for 10 months of the year
• Almost $6000 of board of trustees approved extra pay

Links
School donations dry up
Pay up or face a bigger bill
Schools pressure parents on donations
Worldwide Hunt for Good Teachers
Teachers angry at principal pay perks
What the kids think of David Hodge