TRUANCY PLAGUES COLLEGE

Taupo Times, Volume 23, Issue 47, 13 June 1974, Page 1

TRUANCY PLAGUES COLLEGE

The alarming rise in truancy at Tauponui-a-Tia College is causing deep concern among staff and members of the board of governors. In his report to the board this week, the principal, Mr F. N. Tritt, said a check had been made by staff at the end of last week and a considerable degree of truancy had been uncovered. Truancy proceedings are to be brought against two 13-year-old 3rd Form girls.

"One of the girls involved is very bright," said Mr Tritt. "Vafious welfare officers have attempted to resolve the problem of her nonattendance at school without success. "Both girls are flouting -j the rules and the law as far * as attendance at school is concerned." Earlier this week another " >band of girls — several senior pupils — spent time at a flat in town where they were entertained by a man and some of his friends while his wife was at work. A younger girl returned

to school later in the day while the others hid behind a house uhtil school had finished that day. "None of the girls was truthful about the incident when I first questioned them," said Mr Tritt. "I later interviewed the occupant of the flat and it was a thoroughly distasteful and time-wasting experience." Another girl who has already run away from home twice has spent only one-third of her time this year at school, said Mr Tritt. Her parents have been

interviewed by the welfare officer and although the girl is not quite 15 they think it best she leave school. "I can't see us making any progress with her behaviour — she was caught smoking this morning, she went home ill and we haven't seen her since," he said. Mr M. Wills,' the staff representative on the board, said that there were a number of students in senior classes wasting valuable staff time. "They have no ambition to sit outside exams and I feel that many staff members are becoming frustrated with their lack of interest in school work. "We think that too many warnings are given these students and not enough action taken. "They come back to school bragging that they are getting away with playing truant and this is encouraging others to do the same." The deputy principal, Mr N. A. Pointon, said that on Monday and Tuesday, 29 students had been dealt

with in connection with truancy or smoking on the school grounds. Some board members thought that if children did not want to stay at school they should be released even if their parents wanted them to continue. Mrs A. C. Groome said if the board agreed to do that a certain amount of freedom would be removed. Mr A. L. Dalton and Mr B. Dick said they saw no reason why these children should be kept at the college when they were wasting their own and staff time. "Unless they agree to work and abide by the school rules they should be asked to leave," said Mr Wills. Mr C. E. H. Stocker believed that the school authority hadn't the right To say whether a pupil attended or not. "We can either suspend or expel but we haven't the right to say they can't be here." The board is'to form a general committee to attempt to deal with the truancy problem.