Closing of Castlepoint School Gut Wrenching

Dear Sir/Madam,

The decision by Education Minister Nick Smith to close Castlepoint School last week has been gut wrenching. He has been going on in recent months about parents finding out about how well their children are doing at school. We know what they are doing and are more than satisfied. And what is our reward for having a well performing school? Closure!! It seems to me that Mr Smith doesn't like schools and that he only sides with the whingerss who find fault with their schools. Well Mr Smith should realise that the whingers left the school a year ago and the school has had nothing but 100% support in that time.

In the Wairarapa, hundreds of pupils drive past their local schools travelling over 40kms return for an education of their choice. Those in the Castlepoint area who send their children to Tinui are doing no more that many others. But, they are not content to get on with their choice. They prefer to meddle in the affairs of a small school that is of no concern to them.

Their attitude and their childrens is hostile to our choice to support our local school. Our children will never be safe at Tinui enrolled there next year. Mr Smith knew this but chose to close our school and put our children at risk.

He should be ashamed of his claimes to support fair and equal education in this country. He has just crushed it at Castlepoint. He has just become the champion of the whingers of Castlepoint who will scheme and lie to cover up their shortcomings. I hope he is satisfied with his hypocrisy and the great upheaval he has dumped on our once happy school.

Where those of us exercise restraint and responsibility during the scandulous treatment of the Principal and the running down of the school, the ministry gave us only a token hope of retaining the school. At a public meeting we were told that twelve was a viable number for us. At 12 we prove to be non-viable. How can Mr Smith and his cronies deny their falsehood towards our school community? Since when is a sole charge school not viable at 12. On the 15.11.99 the roll will be 13 with the possibility of another one a fortnight later.

Tonight 8.11.99 on TV1 news there was an article about a school opening BRAND NEW at Tokitima in the King Country with a roll of 12 pupils. So where has the justice gone about our school?

N.W. HADDON

REPRESENTATIVE

SUPPORTERS OF CASTLEPOINT SCHOOL

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