Principals fear law changes will affect safety at schools

The civil liberties of the wider school community need to come before a student’s individual rights in the event of a dangerous situation breaking out at school, Marlborough school principals say.

Their views relate to the Education Amendment Bill before Parliament, which includes changes to the school powers of surrender, retention, search and seizure.

Teachers would be unable to search pupils or their property if the bill becomes law, but would be allowed to search property owned by the school, such as lockers and desks.

Drug dogs would no longer be able to be used in schools, and pupils no longer tested for drugs.

New Zealand Secondary Principals’ Association vice-president and Queen Charlotte College principal Tom Parsons took exception to some of the proposed changes.

He acknowledged that students had civil rights, like everyone. But ensuring that staff, students and the community felt safe in the school grounds was paramount, he said.

If a student was found to have brought a weapon to school in their bag, it should be confiscated.

‘‘School is no place for weapons or harmful substances such as drugs or alcohol,’’ Mr Parsons said.

Having drug dogs inspect a school was not a violation of individual rights; it was no different to their role to check for drug trafficking at Customs and should therefore remain routine, he said.

‘‘We’re all responsible for each other and for creating a safe environment and a safe community and I think that, in the end, reason will prevail.’’

Marlborough Principals’ Association president and Spring Creek School principal Andrew McFarlane said the outlined changes were ‘‘illogical’’, especially following the latest school shooting tragedy in the United States, at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut.

‘‘We want our schools to be the safest place they can possibly be, but this [bill] looks like the rights of the individual are being put ahead of the rights of the collective,’’ Mr McFarlane said.

Upholding the rights of individuals was important, but public and student safety was more so, he said.

Marlborough Boys’ College deputy principal Bill Wick said a safe community and school was important, especially for students to be able to learn to the best of their ability.

The school would call police if a student displayed threatening behaviour such as taking a weapon to school.

‘‘We should be as proactive as we can about it, but the other side of it is students have rights too.’’

The proposed changes would have no effect on the school as it already operated that way. Drug dogs had not been at the school for years and students were searched only with their consent and, if preferred, in the presence of a parent or youth worker, Mr Wick said.

Submissions on the bill close on January 24.