Drug comments spark outrage
A politician has backtracked on her claim a gang had drugs inside an Auckland school.
Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett ordered the Head Hunters to ‘‘bloody get your drugs out’’ of Henderson High School on September 6.
The school responded and said the gang had not infiltrated its system.
Bennett has since reneged on her stance and said there were no drugs at the west Auckland school.
‘‘Henderson High has done an amazing job of making sure there are no drugs in their school,’’ she said.
‘‘The board, principal, staff and students should be commended for the work they have done.’’
Approaches to the school’s principal and the board of trustees have gone unanswered.
The police minister’s earlier comment sparked public outrage amongst Aucklanders – many slamming it as ‘‘stupid’’, ‘‘false’’ and ‘‘gut-wrenching’’.
Former west Auckland principal Terry Wade said he was appalled at Bennett’s comment.
‘‘To single out a school would be pretty, bloody gut-wrenching for the present staff, principal and board.’’
The 77-year-old said such a comment wouldn’t help with an ‘‘exodus’’ of west Auckland pupils. ‘‘But why single out a particular school? I just don’t think that’s fair on the people who have put a hell of a lot of work into bringing the school up to a good standard. It just struck a chord.’’
Bennett declined to answer why she made the comment, or if the school was the only west Auckland school with drugs in it.
But she has put the ‘‘Head Hunters on notice’’.
‘‘Get your drugs out of our communities,’’ she said. ‘‘We now need to get drugs out of the rest of west Auckland and the country.’’
Bennett’s earlier comment’s at The Spinoff debate was slammed by angered Aucklanders.
Henderson-Massey Local Board chairman Shane Henderson labelled it a disappointment.
‘‘They can give a false, negative impression. As a local representative, Henderson High is a great school growing young Westie leaders and I back them 100 per cent.’’
Facebook commenter Alison Withers said low decile schools had enough trouble getting enrolments, without her ‘‘scaremongering’’ the community.