Former principal accused of not passing on complaints to school's board
A former principal of a Māori immersion school in Christchurch is facing allegations of failing to report complaints to the school's board. Documents obtained via the Official Information Act suggest the Ministry of Education was not formally notified of these governance failures at the time.
Why it matters
The case raises concerns about school governance, child safety protocols, and the transparency of administrative reporting in educational institutions.
A former principal at a Christchurch school has been accused of not passing on complaints to the school's board.
RNZ earlier revealed the former principal of Māori immersion school Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Waitaha, Melissa Waitoa-Paki, resigned in June amid allegations she failed to protect the safety of children and manage conflicts of interest.
Last week RNZ obtained a series of documents from the school under the Official Information Act (OIA).
The documents include a March email from a police officer to the chair of the board and lawyers representing the school regarding a formal complaint about a staff member's behaviour. RNZ understands the staff member is Waitoa-Paki.
Do you know more? Email sam.sherwood@rnz.co.nz
The email is heavily redacted, however RNZ understands the email also includes allegations that Waitoa-Paki did not pass on complaints to the board of the school.
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