St Bede’s trustee joins walkout

A St Bede’s College trustee has joined the resignations at the school in the wake of a public row over an airport security incident.

The college has announced the resignation of Stephen Spencer, whose son was in one of the crews taking part in the Maadi Cup secondary school rowing regatta last week.

Spencer has joined Alex Meates, rowing head coach, and David Lindstrom, coach of the U-17 and U-18 crews, who say the Catholic boys school will have to do without them next season.

The coaches were not employed by the school but by a parents committee in charge of rowing.

Lindstrom told NZME the pair stepped down because of the school’s reaction to the incident in which two student rowers breached security at Auckland Airport.

Jack Bell, 16, and Jordan Kennedy, 17, sparked an alert when they rode a baggage conveyor into a secure area at the airport’s domestic terminal on their way to the regatta at Lake Karapiro last week.

The coaches’ decision to allow the boys to race was over-ruled, said Lindstrom, who described the boys’ action as a harmless prank.

‘‘I sent Justin Boyle, the principal of St Bede’s, an email saying the boys are still going to race and that Alex and I are not scratching their entries,’’ Lindstrom told NZME.

‘‘Pulling the boys out of their

We’ve indicated, both the head coach and myself, that we will not be able to work in that environment. David Lindstrom coach of the U-17 and U-18 crews

boats would affect 16 other crews who have worked very hard for this regatta. We couldn’t justify doing that.

‘‘Then next thing we know, Boyle is up at the regatta with a lawyer on his arm talking to the parents and trying to scratch the entries himself.’’

Some parents have told The Press it is unlikely Lindstrom would have been invited back to coach. They say Lindstrom had a screaming match with Boyle at the cup in front of a number of parents. Others says no screaming match took place.

The banned boys’ parents sought an urgent injunction enabling them to compete. The High Court granted the injunction, but the parents will not pursue the matter.

Lindstrom said: ‘‘We’ve indicated, both the head coach and myself, that we will not be able to work in that environment.’’

Spencer has been replaced by Christchurch public relations practitioner Tracey Chambers.