Letters

25th of June 2009, 11:46am

From: Angel Garden

Subject: unfair dismissal of family from Titirangi Steiner School - Attn Sue Russell

Date: 25 June 2009 11:46:57 am GMT+12:00

To: Rudolf Steiner Feneration NZ

Hello Sue

We are writing to appeal to the Federation in our quest to have our children re-instated at the Titirangi Rudolf Steiner School, and to see proper systems implemented there to keep children safe from bullying.

In spite of months of work, negotiating with the school to try and stop the bullying that was affecting children in our elder daughter's class so badly (four children have now left that particular class in the last six weeks), and on the very day we had been awaiting a big meeting, including outside advice on socially inclusive models that the school could adopt; on that very day we learned that our family had been turfed out of the school.

No process was entered into, no meeting about it, no warning, and our other two children (five and two) were also dumped.  The five year old's 20 hours entitlement, the only legitimate way to involve the Ministry in this matter, finished on that very day.  An interesting co-incidence.

According to the school it is the family who have been 'asked to leave', i.e. that it is us, the parents who were really ousted, and not the children who have been expelled, but what the difference really is will only become apparent when proper research has been carried out.  Certainly it does seem to imply that our children and children in general have no rights at the school if management and College don't like their parents or can't make them shut up.

In our own defence and that of our children, and of other children who's parents may be thinking of sending them to be a punch-bag for a notorious bunch of rowdy boys, we have put up our own web-site.  You may already be aware of it, but if not please have a look at www.titirangisteinermessenger.com.

We consider it a moral duty to warn people, and the agencies in New Zealand such as the Children's Commissioner and the Human Rights Commission have both recently published reports highlighting the necessity to look at such bullying in the light of Human Rights.  We are contacting these agencies to find out more specific information in such a case.

We are professional and independent film-makers and we are preparing a second video to put up onto the site today.  We are prepared to show this video to you before putting it up later today so that you can decide whether you would like to intervene and invite the Titirangi Steiner school to step away from this outrageous position of trying to get rid of those who do not like to see their child battered at school.

We are not, however, prepared to alter our stated course of action on the basis of any 'wait and see' proposals held out to make this go away while people fudge about.  We note, and can prove, that the decision to get rid of us was taken super fast, and that shows it can be done where there is a will!

We are clear on the web-site that we will change the material, when the circumstances that gave rise to it are changed also.  Until then, it remains true.  The site will therefore stay up until circumstances are changed and is fully available to any and all anywhere in the world who may have an interest in Steiner education in New Zealand.  As yet we have done nothing to promote it, except to the parents at the school, and now to yourselves, still within the Steiner community, albeit a larger pool.

The evidence we have is enormous, including months of email correspondence with the school.  It is truly shocking that, even in this day and age, an organisation can expect to run itself in this despotic, unprofessional and probably unlawful way.  They probably thought we would slink away as the other long list of 'complainers' (an area of future research as we gather there is quite a story there), and decide it's too much trouble to follow it up through legal channels.

We have more efficient tools to bring to bear on the situation and to detractors who say our approach is bullying in itself, we reply only that it is self-defence as well as a child safety issue.

Such counter name-calling is what is always levelled at those who stand up to bullying.  We are not deterred by it and have nothing to hide.

We appeal to you in your capacity as representatives for Steiner education in New Zealand to realise the potential seriousness of this loss of control on behalf of the school and prevail upon them to act with dignity, and treat the future of Steiner education in a healthy and respectful way, without the risk of unnecessary disrepute.

With hope that your view will be more realistic, up-to-date and forward looking.

Sincerely

Angel Garden

Steve Paris