The first steps have been taken today to set up a series of hui with the families of boys attending St Stephens School following the latest violent assault on a pupil at the school.

ACT Education Spokesman Donna Awatere Huata has today written to the school’s Principal and Board of Trustees offering to assist with setting up and facilitating a series of hui with the families of the school’s students to investigate and put and end to the culture of violence between pupils at the school.

The ACT MP said that while she is pleased the Minister of Education had ordered an investigation into the latest incident which saw a 14-year-old boy hospitalised after being allegedly hit over the head with an iron bar, the problem of violence at the school would not go away until families take ownership of it and responsibility for it.

Mrs Huata said that if St Stephens continues to turn out boys who accept that level of violence in their school life, that will continue into their family life and lives in their communities.

The hui would investigate the context of the violence at the school and the outside influences that are contributing to the violence and bullying.

“Families must say that enough is enough. Their ownership and leadership is vital to stopping the violence at St Stephens. No more children should be put at risk at the school,” she said.

“The boys found responsible for any violence must face up to the full consequences of their actions. I am very pleased to hear that the Police in South Auckland are working to ensure that that happens in a legal sense. It must also happen within the boy’s families.

“This culture of violence at St Stephens has been allowed to continue for generations. It is time that it was bought to an end,”said Donna Awatere Huata.

ENDS

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