Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier expressed disappointment after the boards of St Peter’s College and Cashmere High School refused to apologise following upheld complaints regarding their decisions.
At St Peter’s College in Auckland, a student was excluded for drug use without proper consideration of Ministry of Education guidelines, while Cashmere High School declined an out-of-zone enrolment without adequately communicating their decision. Both cases saw the Ombudsman calling for apologies, which the boards have declined to issue despite agreeing to implement other recommendations.
Boshier told state media that such refusals to comply with his recommendations are rare and hoped the boards would reconsider. He stressed the importance of school boards following correct processes and providing clear explanations to parents and students to avoid “retraumatisation”. The Ombudsman warned that he could escalate the issue to higher authorities if necessary.
