Principals back suicide speech position
Timaru principals are backing the stance of an Oamaru school over banning a student’s speech about suicide.
Waitaki Girls’ High School student Shania Kohinga, 15, decided she wanted to highlight a very personal issue and talk about suicide as part of an English assignment.
The topic was deemed inappropriate for the assignment, and Shania was told she could not deliver the speech to her classmates.
The school’s position has been supported by Timaru principals, who say talking about the issue in a classroom setting could have unintended consequences.
Craighead Diocesan School principal Lindy Graham said it was ‘‘quite a sensitive issue’’.
‘‘We need to consider all those in the audience, as well as the student wishing to give the speech on a very sensitive topic.
‘‘We try to steer the students towards topics that offer hope and show courage in the face of adversity, etc, instead of dwelling on such deeply personal issues which have tragic consequences.’’
A classroom was not always the best forum for such speeches, she said.
‘‘However, if the student does want to air such personal issues, they would be invited to do their speech to a different audience – rather than a whole class who could find it upsetting for their own personal reasons.
‘‘There would be a need to ensure that there is appropriate support available afterwards.’’
Timaru Girls’ High School principal Sarah Davis said she agreed with Waitaki Girls’ High School’s stance. Students needed to be able to express their experiences, but they sometimes did not think through the ramifications, she said.
‘‘The big way we deal with it is through our guidance system, because it’s a very specialist situation.’’
Ministry of Education head of early learning and student achievement Lisa Rodgers said schools had discretion over how they delivered the national curriculum and how they approached potentially sensitive issues with students.
The decisions schools made depended on a range of factors, including the needs of students, the values of the school and their school community, and the expertise and experience of the teachers.
Decisions could also be influenced by recent events in the school community, she said.
‘‘For example, it would be understandable if a school decided youth suicide was too sensitive a topic for creative writing assignments if there had been recent incidents within the school community.’’
If parents had concerns, they should raise them with the school or with their representatives on the board of trustees, Rodgers said.