In a case involving a pre-teen boy’s education, Judge David Burns ruled that the boy, whose first language is Māori, will remain at his full-immersion kura, despite his father’s wish to transfer him to a state secondary school.
The boy’s parents, who had been in disagreement over his schooling, presented contrasting arguments in a recent Family Court case: the father advocating for the state school’s academic reputation and extracurricular options, while the mother supported the environment of the kura.
In his judgment, Judge Burns noted, “The contrast between the parents’ proposals was stark,” but said that the boy had expressed a clear desire to stay at the kura.
Judge Burns acknowledged the father’s concern that a mainstream school would offer more opportunities for academic and social development. However, he highlighted the “expert” opinion provided to the court, which stated that eight years of full immersion would cement the boy’s knowledge of te reo Māori.
The judge found that transitioning to a large state school where English is the primary language would pose significant challenges at this time. “He will struggle in a large secondary school where the main language is English,” the judgment read, adding that the boy’s English language skills needed further development before such a move could be made.
Ultimately, Judge Burns ruled in favour of maintaining the boy’s current schooling at the kura. He prioritised the boy’s emotional wellbeing, happiness, and language development over academic concerns, stating, “His happiness and wellbeing trump any academic concerns.” The judgment suggested that a transition to mainstream schooling could occur naturally in the future, likely around Year 11, once the boy’s language skills were more firmly established, allowing him to benefit from fluency in both Māori and English.
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