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National | Education

Family claims son was assaulted by teachers at school

A Māori family has taken a complaint to police with allegations that two teachers assaulted their son, who is 12 years old.

The family says there were two incidents at the school involving their son, who they say has ADHD.

The first alleged incident involved a whiteboard marker allegedly thrown at him by a teacher and the second involved a teacher allegedly putting his hands on the back of the boy's neck and holding him down.

The boy’s father now says his son is too afraid to go back to school.

“They put fear into my son. He’s traumatised and he’s scared,” says the boy’s father.

The issue was brought to the attention of the school.  The family says three meetings were held, but one of the accused teachers was not present at any of them.

“He’s a coward,” says the 12 year old's father.

The boy himself, who Te Ao has chosen not to name, expressed his fear of returning to school.  When asked if he felt safe to go back to school, he replied, “Not with those teachers being there.”

The school principal and chair of the board declined to comment on this story.