E2NZ.org

Another example of a culture of bullying and victimisation has arisen in a New Zealand, a great place to raise kids.

A pupil told that she “looked like a slut” by her school dean says she feels unfairly singled out and her parents are furious the school has done little in response to their complaints.

But the school principal has come out in full support of the teacher, describing her as professional with an impeccable record.

Year 10 Newlands College pupil Amethyst Staladi, 14, last week visited dean Angela King, who told her to pull down her skirt because she “looked like a slut”, the pupil said. Amethyst said she pulled her skirt down but was “shocked” by what had been said.

“I was singled out, because pretty much everyone has their skirt above their knees. It just made me feel stink.”…  read the full story on Stuff here

Apparently the girls’ school skirts have to be long enough to “touch the ground” when they kneel down, but the practice of rolling the bands of school skirts is as widespread in New Zealand as it is in other westernised countries.

It’s a shame that the school can’t enforce their uniform rules without making derogatory remarks to impressionable young women, surely there is a less humiliating way to remind pupils of  how the uniform is to be worn?

The following day, Amanda Fisher, writing for the Dom Post said

“Teachers Council director Peter Lind said the comment was unusual. “I don’t think that teachers have been known to use these kind of derogatory statements to students.”

The council had not received any complaint about the incident as far as he was aware.

If a complaint met the criteria for serious misconduct, a disciplinary tribunal considered the case, and a teacher could be struck off.”

Also read other blogs tagged Bullying in New Zealand Schools

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